Discovering truth through imagination
Jerelyn Rodriguez
Mrs.Beckham
English 4 Period 5
May 15, 2014
Mary Shelley Discovering Truth Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein tells the tragic story of a man who seeks the attention and acceptance of anyone possible for his accomplishments. This could be related to any of the three main characters in the story (Robert Walton, Victor Frankenstein, or the creature). The problem in this piece was created not only by Frankenstein’s hands, but also by Shelley’s imagination. Mary Shelley uses imagination to discover truth behind human nature, and knowledge. Shelley critiques human nature through the various encounters the monster and Frankenstein face during the story. The monster views human society/nature as “strange” and “queer”, explaining how odd it is that we praise humans who can do so much wrong. Shelley also makes note to include the fact that human nature teaches us to attack things we do not understand/dislike. An example of this in the piece would be when the creature encounters a village, whose villagers react negatively to his presence without exactly knowing anything about him, stating, “The whole village was roused: some fled, some attacked me until, grievously bruised by stones and many other kinds of missile weapons…” (Shelley, Frankenstein, page 103). Shelleys criticizes this act that humans partake in by also including the monsters line after the event, “miserable, from the inclemency of the season and still more from the barbarity of man” (Shelley, Frankenstein, page 103). Shelley clearly shows her position towards human nature and the fact that she believes it is very shameful to see how we humans are quick to judge, through her imaginative creature she created. Janine Rider, who writes for Magill’s Guide to Science Fiction & Fantasy Literature, includes her own critique on the story and it’s views on human nature, writing, “the novel questions what responsibility humankind has in the face of achievement that can have both good and bad results”.
Mrs.Beckham
English 4 Period 5
May 15, 2014
Mary Shelley Discovering Truth Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein tells the tragic story of a man who seeks the attention and acceptance of anyone possible for his accomplishments. This could be related to any of the three main characters in the story (Robert Walton, Victor Frankenstein, or the creature). The problem in this piece was created not only by Frankenstein’s hands, but also by Shelley’s imagination. Mary Shelley uses imagination to discover truth behind human nature, and knowledge. Shelley critiques human nature through the various encounters the monster and Frankenstein face during the story. The monster views human society/nature as “strange” and “queer”, explaining how odd it is that we praise humans who can do so much wrong. Shelley also makes note to include the fact that human nature teaches us to attack things we do not understand/dislike. An example of this in the piece would be when the creature encounters a village, whose villagers react negatively to his presence without exactly knowing anything about him, stating, “The whole village was roused: some fled, some attacked me until, grievously bruised by stones and many other kinds of missile weapons…” (Shelley, Frankenstein, page 103). Shelleys criticizes this act that humans partake in by also including the monsters line after the event, “miserable, from the inclemency of the season and still more from the barbarity of man” (Shelley, Frankenstein, page 103). Shelley clearly shows her position towards human nature and the fact that she believes it is very shameful to see how we humans are quick to judge, through her imaginative creature she created. Janine Rider, who writes for Magill’s Guide to Science Fiction & Fantasy Literature, includes her own critique on the story and it’s views on human nature, writing, “the novel questions what responsibility humankind has in the face of achievement that can have both good and bad results”.