When most people think of Frankenstein, they think of this:
It is not entirely accurate according to the novel's vague descriptions, but it has inspired feelings of horror in audiences for years--exactly what Frankenstein's monster's physical appearances was wont to do.
But Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is about more than a monster.
Not only is this novel the beginning of the Science Fiction genre as we know it, but the plights of the characters somehow exemplify the issues of our modern world. Besides illuminating the human condition, the novel also provides a wonderful literary education for those unfamiliar with Romantic classics (like Coleridge's "The Rime of The Ancient Mariner").
Frankenstein is about all of us. It is about humanity. It is about knowing one's limits, finding empathy for others, and the power of chance.
If Frankenstein had not stumbled upon some books in an inn written by notorious alchemists, his interest in natural philosophy would never have been sparked. If Frankenstein's father had told him why the books were illogical, he would have disregarded what he had read. If Elizabeth had not given William a necklace to wear the night he was strangled, Justine would never have been able to be framed for his murder.
Whether an individual views those instances as chance, as acts of God, or some other influencing power, we are all susceptible to the same. We tend to ask ourselves and others what we would travel back in time to change if we could do something in our pasts to make our present lives better. We understand the idea of causation--that one action causes another, which causes another. It is even one of the basic laws of physics: every action has an opposite and equal reaction. Sometimes things happen in life which are out of our control, and it is how we deal with those situations that determines what kind of person we are.
Frankenstein's monster, from the poor thing's conception, was treated badly. Throughout every moment the being was conscious, he wished mainly for one thing: companionship. It wanted a friend. He thought he could make friends with villagers in France. He thought he could make Frankenstein create a female counterpart for himself. But he was treated only with disdain because of his appearance.
The monster was temporarily able to gain acceptance from a blind man. He was temporarily able to gain sympathy from Frankenstein after the man had become engrossed in his tale. Neither positive emotional reaction lasted longer than a few minutes, for the monster's grotesque form quickly sapped the surrounding people of any empathy. The monster turned into, well, a monster. He murdered a child and framed a teenager for the murder. He threatened to kill dozens of others. His heart, barely beating as it was, was blackened by the way others treated him.
Humans are products of their surroundings and of the people around them. If we are treated with kindness, we treat others with kindness. If we are surrounding by vitriol and hate, we spout the same. This is why it is important now more than ever to remember to live with civility and to condemn divisiveness.
Every single one of us has the potential to be a monster. But even monsters are not completely bad.
