Preview

The Theme of Wasted Lives in Frankenstein, and Cold Blood

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1730 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Theme of Wasted Lives in Frankenstein, and Cold Blood
This essay will be analysing the way in which the theme of wasted lives is portrayed throughout my chosen extracts. My chosen extracts are, an extract from chapter 16 of Frankenstein (FS) by Mary Shelly a gothic novel with features of the Romantic Movement. And an extract from chapter 3 of In Cold Blood (ICB) by Truman Capote, a faction novel (a novel written based on facts). In the F.S extract we are seeing the creature’s view of his killing of William and also his framing of Justine for the murder. Much the same in the ICB extract where it is Perry’s point of view of the murder of the Clutter family. In this extract we also see Capote input thoughts from Dewey, the police officer covering the case. Although both the extracts were written in different time periods, the focus is the same showing how the lack of parental figures, can lead to the destruction of life for something petty.

Throughout the chosen extract for FS the portrayal of the set theme wasted lives is portrayed in great detail. Firstly by having three characters who are seen to have wasted lives and also the murder of one of these characters. The first wasted life we see is that of the creature when we are seeing, the depths that he will sink to, to get his revenge on Frankenstein. ‘Frankenstein! you belong then to my enemy – to him towards whom I have sworn eternal revenge; you shall be my first victim.’ He thinks that because Frankenstein disowned him that he now has to get his own revenge, cause pain to Frankenstein in a worse way he caused the creature pain. But in many ways this can be seen as the creature being as bad as Frankenstein himself, not caring about the consequences of his actions and the onslaught of pain and terror they will cause. The life of William is also seen to be wasted. The creature believes that when he first see William that he will be innocent ’unprejudiced’ allowing the creature to have a companion. But we see that this is not so. William seems to be brought up in

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    The two texts that are to be studied are Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley and In Cold Blood with the author Truman Capote. The dates these texts are published are very contrasting themselves with the most recent novel being In Cold blood; it was issued in 1966. The other book being a literature classic was published in 1818. In Cold Blood is a non-fiction novel being a true account detailing a brutal multiple murder of the Clutter family from Holcomb and the consequences following that crime. The book follows the victims before their deaths and the police force that were searching for the murderers but mostly, Truman Capote concentrates on the psychological relationship between the two parolees that together committed the most atrocious…

    • 2130 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    In her novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelley explores a wide range of themes concerning human nature through the thoughts and actions of two main characters and a host of others. Two themes are at the heart of the story, the most important being creation, but emphasis is also placed on alienation from society. These two themes are relevant even in today's society as technology brings us ever closer to Frankenstein's fictional achievement.…

    • 702 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The feeling of loneliness leads people to feel miserable. In the story Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley, there are many factors which cause the characters to feel miserable and lonely. The primary theme of Frankenstein is loneliness, and Shelley clearly communicates this theme by using characterization, symbolism, and setting to convey this theme to the reader.…

    • 875 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Frankenstein is a literally fantastic novel, in which a gentle creation, the Monster, is shunned by his creator, Victor Frankenstein, as well as all other humans. The Monster becomes so dejected that he turns murderous and vows to destroy Victor’s life. The book is definitely fiction, as the Monster happens to be eight feet tall and superior to humans in almost every way save looks. Although this is probably the most evident distortion from reality, many others appear although not quite so blatantly. In her novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelly uses symbolism and distortions between the world of the book and the real world to demonstrate the truth of Romantic ideals.…

    • 2077 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    If you create something should you be able to kill it? The notion of playing god like Victor did with the creatures in Frankenstein is comparative to the same issue the courts have with abortion laws. Various angles of abortion can be quite overwhelming as well as who makes the final decision. Many governments have struggled to strike what they believe to be a balance between the rights of pregnant women and the rights of fetuses. Before life is started, generally, an individual has thought about whether or not they want to create life. All life is created whether it is the creatures in Frankenstein or development of a fetus. Once life has been created choosing to end that life can cause many issues. The struggle of choosing between life and death could be avoided by an individual evaluating the results of creating a life before starting the process.…

    • 983 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    A theme of indifference and rejection from society clearly persists through the film Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, directed by Kenneth Branagh. After Victor Frankenstein, the main protagonist, realizes that reanimation is a tangible reality, a domino effect occurs which in turn alienates not only himself but also his creation from society. The reality of the creature's existence is so gruesome that one begins to understand the negative effects that alienation can have on one's own self-perceived identity. In fact, this estrangement from society perpetuates a downward spiral for the creature as he develops a mind that is unadulterated by moral behavior while also nurturing a strong desire for revenge. Not only does Frankenstein leave the creature to fend for itself, but society rejects it as well. The alienation from all of his surroundings, and his creator feeds the creature's desire for vengeance, ultimately resulting in the deaths of every that his creator Frankenstein held dear to his heart.…

    • 880 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The idea of creating life or prolonging it has been around since the beginning of time and survival was the main key to living longer. In religion creating life has been around since the world and life was created. In evolution life was created through an explosion we call the Big Bang Theory. In 1818 Mary Shelley completed a fiction book of horror, of the demonstrative effect of us creating life could be. Shelley's protagonist victor Frankenstein obsessed with the ability to control the outcome of life. After creating the creature he becomes overwhelmed with the grotesqueness it has and runs away from the responsibility it gave to him. Many years after Mary Shelley's book was written the term artificial life was created in 1986 with three…

    • 915 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    What would the human race be without ambition? Beyond it's definition of desiring success, it has come to mean so much more; it is the thing which keeps us all striving for greatness; it is what has brought about some of the most revolutionary, world-altering inventions the world has ever seen. On the other hand, it has also been the downfall of great leaders and societies who reached too high. In Mary Shelley's classic novel Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein is a man who finds that ambition has taken him and those that he cares about down a deadly path, yet still refuses to admit defeat. His ultimate end is brought on by unchecked ambition designed to benefit only his own ego.…

    • 513 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Grief In Frankenstein

    • 1678 Words
    • 7 Pages

    The novel Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley, is a romantic/gothic classic with strange similarity to Mary's own personal life: the losses, the stages grief, the heartbreak, all relating back to life of Mary Shelley. Oddly enough, her own life experiences are what she uses as building blocks for this story line and creatively worked into the character own personal lives throughout the novel. Is this just a coincidence or was this book written for her own personal therapy session? This novel is more than a classic example of gothic literature; writing this piece was a way for Mary Shelley to alleviate the constant pain and suffering she had encountered while demonstrating her remedies of coping when stricken with grief.…

    • 1678 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The reader can gain a deeper understanding of The Monster’s internal struggle in Shelley’s Frankenstein of becoming Satan by having read Milton’s Paradise Lost. The Monster’s internal struggle is him giving into his hatred and becoming Satan and a living hell to Victor Frankenstein, The Monster’s creator. Satan was an angel, originally called Lucifer, that was banished to Hell for waging war against God. When The Monster enters the village to find food for himself, The monster states “One of the best of these I entered; but I had hardly placed my foot within the door, before the children shrieked, and one of the women fainted. The whole village was mused; some fled, some attacked me, until, grievously bruised by stones and many other kinds of…

    • 581 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Sympathy In Frankenstein

    • 2094 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley and first published in 1818, follows the set of extraordinary events encompassing the life of Victor Frankenstein; natural philosophy devotee and reanimation pioneer. Characterization plays a major role in encouraging different attitudes in Frankenstein, an example being how the reader is encouraged to feel sympathy for Frankenstein and his creation throughout the novel. Aided by the differing narrative perspective, these sympathies are continually evolving, changing as the reader’s perception of the two is altered, and at the end of the novel, the reader is left questioning who the real monster is: Frankenstein, or his creation? The…

    • 2094 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    I’ve seen her. I want her. I need her. She is the most beautiful creature I have ever seen. I’ve started thinking of ways to make her mine. I can't think clearly whenever I see her, I am just transfixed watching her move and I decide then and there that I have to have her whether she likes it or not. I will be making her life so much better once she is mine. From what I have seen from my car I can see that she will help someone who is in need. The next person she will help will be me, But how do I get her to help me without looking suspicious. I will have to work harder to get her than I thought, But I will do anything for my precious angel. She doesn't know it yet but her life is about to get ten times better once I am part of the picture.…

    • 538 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    For many, it is difficult to consider that death and life coexistence with each other in an enviable union. Day after day people mourn death and celebrate birth. There is a common innate fear due to the uncertainty that death will bring, and while most people avoid any dangers or acts of self-destruction, some run towards it. In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the main characters fear not death but life due to their horrific past, ongoing trauma, and building guilt.…

    • 469 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    In many situations today, the children most common problem can be trace back to their family issue. Without a strong bond of relationship between their parents can consequently cause a destruction of children’s future. Even more, the children grow up unsteadily with aggressive behavior and the sign of depression. This has come to be a controversial issue and as well the depth of the story that is contain in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. To many misinterpretations from the movie, the creature itself was to accused to be a villain in the plot. As it show in Mary Shelly’s novel a deeper analysis has reveal that Victor Frankenstein is the real blame for neglecting the “child-monster”.…

    • 1893 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    To begin with, for there to be an outsider to live in today’s society, would be an absolute disaster for it to live here. Like the monster that was created in the 1800s by, Victor Frankenstein, in the story Frankenstein. Not many people would even think of accepting it. There is a lot of police brutality going on with black people, and some officers are not being convicted of being killing these innocent people. Some Hispanics are being judged being a different race! With that being said, I believe that the monster will not survive at all. If normal people are being killed for their race, which they did not choose, imagine how they would treat a monster made from a dead corpse. He would be killed and the first thing someone would say is they felt their life was in danger, yet the monster was sitting on a park bench asleep. In today’s…

    • 1070 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays