Humans as a species like to experiment with the world around them and push the limits of any known law. As a result, the human race is constantly toying with the everlasting puzzle: What is life and how can it be manipulated? Through many realistic fiction stories—such as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Rise of the Planet of the Apes—the general public is able to take a look into how far the human mind wants to go. Both stories use technology as a vehicle to enhancing human life and end up with horrible endings. Though these tales share a common theme, they diverge in plot lines by exploring different ways that technology can affect life as usual. By examining these tales one will notice the difference of experiments, consequences, and relationships.
The first major difference is the means of experimentation between the two protagonists. In Frankenstein, Victor uses a mysterious “spark of life” to bring his creation alive in order to fulfill his own ambitions. In Rise of the Planet of the Apes, the protagonist’s motivation for experimenting on life is for the greater good from the get go. By these plots being different, the audience can see how even though scientists can have totally separate ideas and reasoning the end game is usually the same. However, this was not the only difference between the cautionary narratives.
The other key thing that made these stories different was the endings. In the film, the experiments wreak havoc on the city just so that they could get to safety. In the novel, the creation causes destruction for the sole purpose of tormenting its creator. The apes reach their destination and though they leave a wake of terror in their path are generally safe and complacent, while the protagonist quietly mourns losing his friend. On the other hand, Victor loses his life in the hunt for the creation and the monster commits suicide leaving no trace of any the events that took place. These