When students think of Frankenstein, the large, green monster from James Whale’s classic movies is normally the first image that comes to mind. With these mindsets, many may find analyzing the story of Frankenstein would have little value in a university English class. However, the original story by Mary Shelley is a remarkable work of literature that delves deeply into human nature.
The story revolves around Victor Frankenstein, and ambitious young man seeking to discover the answers to all of the world’s mysteries. To satisfy these tastes when he was a child, he looked over the alchemic works of Paracelsus and Albertus Magnus, despite his father’s dissuasion. As Frankenstein grows older, his curiosities are nurtured in the natural sciences of chemistry. Frankenstein’s lust for knowledge and power is a common theme seen not only in literature, but in real individuals as well. Like Frankenstein, there have been individuals that abandon their moral beliefs just to fulfill their own selfish goals, and like Frankenstein, this egotistical pursuit of power eventually led to their downfall.
Frankenstein’s quest for godhood leads him to create the monster that has become the symbol of many modern horror films. Appalled by the creature’s appearance, Frankenstein abandons his creation. Frankenstein’s refusal to take responsibility for his actions not only led to his own misery, but the deaths of many of his close friends and family as the creature slaughters them for revenge against his creator.
The monster’s murderous behaviour could be attributed to poor socialization, a factor that appears in both real life and literature. Due to his appearance, the creature was always ostracized and attacked by the people he wanted to befriend. As the villagers continued to label him as a monster, the creature began to act as one. The creature’s experience from being turned into a monster by the public is an act that occurs everyday. If someone is treated poorly for too long, it is likely that the individual will begin to act out in a ‘self-fulfilling prophecy’ of how the public labels them. It is important to keep in mind, however, that this portion of the story was told by the monster himself, and that it may not be entirely accurate or trustworthy.
Shelly employs a wide variety of literary techniques to bring her story to life. One of her most notable techniques is the frame story style she applies to her novel. Told from the perspectives of Walton, Frankenstein, and the creature, this extra layer of story telling adds a new dimension of deception as the reader tries to discern what is real and what is not. Was the creature really kind in the beginning? Did Frankenstein even create the monster? Or was the entire story of Walton’s creation through the letters to his sister?
With her elaborate frame story set-up and numerous allusions to author’s such as Milton, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a literary classic that everyone should have the opportunity to read.
Katie's Literature Blog 
stelianna said,
November 27, 2007 at 2:20 am
Frankenstein is definitely not the same in pop culture as it is in the book (and it is not as good as the book either in my opinion). When people think of Frankenstein, they think of the monster, but they do not take into consideration the life of the mad scientist. I agree that it is a story that everyone should read, because it is one that can teach us about ourselves, and it allows us to become open-minded as it questions many beliefs.
alemay said,
November 28, 2007 at 2:06 am
It is agreed that Frankenstein by Mary Shelley should be read by all it is a symbolic piece of work that like you said Katie not only is written through out literature but is in a nut shell what many people in the real world go through in realy life. The torture, the greed and the vengence that we as human beings come to terms with is all discussed in a frame work that the monster who Victor Frankenstein created could have symbolized people who have been bullied because of their looks/not normal appearences. The story Frankenstein depicts the cruelty of the real world and Mary Shelley just put it into an interesting story line that the reader is dragged into through the symbolic happenings that people can relate to or can sympathize with. The terrible happeings of murder and the need for power through science can also symbolize the times today where we as people strive and put all faith in science. As for your comment on pop culture you are 100% correct because the first thing that came to mind is the green monster with bolts coming out of his temples. A monster that as a kid was big and scarey because we did not know exacly what he was about only that he was created by lightning bolts that went into his body, where the scientist screams in a creapy voice “ITS ALIVE”! Thus Mary Shelley opens the readers eyes to a whole different story. I found this novel very interesting and i would recommend it to anyone!
Amanda