| Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
is a sci-fi horror genre book, and as a closing for today's topic, it seems
appropriate to critique the value of this book, which if I may say, is very
great. The concept of giving life to the non-living is a huge element in
horror and sci-fi that we see today. Frankenstein has a set of morals to teach as well as a precedent to set. The horror aspect shows that while a creature can be as vile as anything, that you cannot judge a creature merely by how he acts. One must consider what caused the creature to act the way it does. "She was there, lifeless and inanimate, thrown across the bed…" (Shelley 211). Victor Frankenstein beheld the murder of his wife Elizabeth in a horrible way. |
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| The Monster who committed this act is not the villain however, but he does provide the horror element to the story. Through Frankenstein's cruelty, the Monster is made out to be the bad guy. "Those who restrain desire do so because theirs are weak enough to be restrained" (Blake 87). Perhaps Satan's arguments had reached Frankenstein, for he held the same desire as did Lucifer: both wished to sit on God's throne, to use the powers reserved only for Him. | ||||
| The moral delivered through this horror aspect is that any creature treated the right way can be honest and kind. "This trait of kindness move me sensibly" (Shelley 114), the Monster comments about seeing the "two younger cottagers" giving up food for their father. With the proper care, the Monster could be a caring person. | ||||
| Inevitably, the Monster was forced out of all civilization, showing the utter rejection of a creature from society. "But soon…I shall die, and what I now feel shall no longer be felt" (Shelley 242). The Monster, a perfectly good person, is rejected. No creature deserves the rejection felt by the Monster. | ||||
