Frankenstein by Mary Shelly
Journal Entry #1
When people read the book Frankenstein by Mary Shelly they sympathize with all of the characters, but they tend to sympathize more with the monster. I myself sympathized with the monster more despite his many evil deeds. It is possible that the reason for this sympathy towards the monster from us is because the monster reminds us of how we feel when we are lonely, abandoned, or angered by someone else and just the thought of those feelings being the only emotions we feel constantly for the rest of our existence is unbearable. Reading about this merciless and yet compassionate monster makes us think about the monster in us and how we would react in his situation. When I read this book it made me feel depressed and I felt everything the monster felt. “The fallen angel becomes the malignant devil. Yet even the enemy of God and man had friends and associates in his desolation; I am alone.” — Victor
This is a quote by Victor after the monster has killed everything that was important to him, leaving him alone and in the same situation as the monster as opposed to the beginning of the book when Victor knew no evil and was as happy as one can be. It also describes his transition into total misery and loneliness from his former ambitious and adventurous self. The creature was born pure at heart and didn’t become a monster until Victor and society started being neglectful and cruel to him, but I think the biggest reason that he wasn’t able to find anybody to accept him was the time period in which he was created. People in the seventeenth century were closed minded and much of their beliefs were based in superstition and myth. I think that because of this people in his setting thought of him as a bringer of death and destruction and assumed him to be like the grim reaper in our time without putting much thought or logical reasoning behind their actions. In today’s society not all people are as