Frankenstein

Reading Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein in conjunction with my previous image of the same story was a rewarding experience. Since my mental file of Frankenstein included a green guy who was named Frankenstein with bolts through his neck and an abnormally square head, I was surprised at the intricacy of Shelley’s original story. An obvious difference is the fact that the monster’s name is not Frankenstein at all, and has an independently developed character in the context of the story.

I think that is what sets Frankenstein apart from other “classic” horror stories: a monster who is cognizant, and able to learn, think, and interact with its environment. In doing so we actually gain insight related to our own human tendencies, needs, and desires. The core conflict in the monster’s life is lack of acceptance, which I translate synonymously as the need of love and affection.

The monster quickly recognizes that he is not like the other creatures around him as he is quickly rejected because of his horrendous appearance. I was impressed by the monster’s prolonged response to this challenge. In an attempt to one day coexist with humans, he stealthily observes a family and eventually learns the language as well as accepted habits of living. The ability that the monster has to engage with is environment in an intelligent way makes the story much more dense, and certainly has more appeal than a stumbling, muttering, and ultimately helpless creature.

Of course, there are traits that remind us of the monster’s inherent existence as a vessel for horror. The murders he commits are malicious, perhaps even more so because he uses them as manipulation towards Frankenstein. The monster’s desperation for a partner is on one hand completely understandable, however we alienate him on the contrary because of the near childlike (but still surprisingly cunning) attempt to connect with Frankenstein.

Ultimately, the monster’s mysteriousness and ability to more or less do as he pleases undetected lends to the horror of Shelley’s work. He becomes relatable through his self-induced education, and reflecting on the fact that a creature so frightening is ultimately not so different from a human is what brings the most interest to the plot.