Frankenstein: Monster vs Monstrous

I'm going to focus this blog on Frankenstein's monster, or "creation" to use the politically correct term. For the purpose of this blog, I name him Frankie. Up to this point in the novel, what do we really know about Frankie? He is a being that Victor created, assembled from various body parts of deceased people to a larger stature than a normal human. It is safe to assume that he is a very disturbing if not horrifying looking creature. After he leaves Victor's lab, and gains the understanding of his senses, Frankie comes across people. These people act as one would expect them to, to a creature as apparently horrifying as Frankie, cruelly. Poor Frankie, having just come into being, can't understand why these people him so. Even the family that Frankie "grows up"(for the lack of a better phrase) watching and loving, treats him as a monster. Only then does he truly turn to anger and malice. So I think the questions begs to be asked; is Frankie really a monster?

Now obviously it turns out to be the case that Frankie is monstrous in his actions, as evident but his murder of Victor's brother, and placing the blame on an innocent girl. One could argue that Frankie was driven towards these ends(not at all justifying the murder), that under different circumstances, Frankie might have turned into a kind gentle being. It is evident that Frankie is intelligent. He learned to read and speak merely by watching others do the same. He came to understand how he came into being and what he was very easily. He even finds Victor's home town without a map or any such device. It would be impossible to argue that Frankie wasn't a kind and generous being before the world forsake him. While he stays near the De Lacys, Frankie shows many amiable attributes. Even after his first bad encounter with people, Frankie still does not hate all people. He cuts firewood for the family whenever he can. When he realizes that the family is poor, he stops stealing their vegetables to eat. When the old man plays his music, Frankie feels it is so beautiful that it can bring him to tears. Frankie often states in his narrative to Victor, how much he loved this family. These facts would have to make Frankie seem more a gentle giant than a raging monster.

So where did things go wrong for Frankie? All he wanted was to be accepted by people, and by his creator. Victor shuns him and looks at him with disgust as soon as he is completed, then flees from him. His first few encounters with people are met with violence. When he learns to read, he is able to learn about his creation and how his creator truly felt about him. When Frankie tries to meet that family that he loves, they drive him away with yet more violence, and leave the house they were him completely in hopes of never seeing him again. Frankie is a kind being that is being hated by every other thing in the world, so he becomes enraged. His rage isn't directed at innocent people, but at his creator Victor. Even here a benevolent quality is being shown. Frankie doesn't go to find Victor and make him pay(I would argue that the murder of Victor's brother was unintentional until the opportunity presented itself) for what he did to him. Frankie goes to Victor, tells him his story and why he is so made at Victor. Frankie could tear his creator limb from limb easily, but instead offers a peaceful solution, that he feels will make everyone happy. Frankie merely wants another being like himself to have companionship with, and in return will leave Victor and all mankind alone. Instead of vengeance, Frankie wants everyone to be more or less happy.

So is Frankie a monster because he is a reanimated corpse, or was he made monstrous by the cruelty people treated him with? I would argue the latter. If not immediately shunned by his creator, or if not driven away by mankind, I think Frankie could have potentially turned out to be a very kind being. The monstrous qualities of mankind destroyed that potential, and shaped the "man" into a monster.

-Ryan