The Creation of a Monster
In the book Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, the creature created by Victor Frankenstein experiences that prejudgment immediately by both Victor and the rest of society around him. Why would a parent or, in the creatures case, a creator reject their own child just because of their appearance? Is the monster the same person that was created by Victor or did society change him? The creature always keeps a sense of what is right but society’s intolerance of his appearance and society’s prejudgment of his evil actions, causes the creature to adapt and fit that prejudgment.
The creatures first encounter with humans, besides with his creator, demonstrates his willingness to help and seek friendship; showing his humanity. In this scene, Victor is explaining how his creature reacts to the De Lacey family while his creature talks to the old man, ‘”They are kind – they are the most excellent creatures in the world…but a fatal prejudice clouds their eyes, and where they ought to see a feeling and kind friend, they behold only a detestable monster”‘ (136). The words “kind” and “excellent” show the reader that the creature possesses the human awareness to see humane qualities in others and it demonstrates why the creature would want to follow these qualities and seek friendship or companionship with the De Laceys. Also, the creature demonstrates that he can detect bad qualities in others when he says, “a fatal prejudice clouds their eyes.” This shows the reader that humans are prejudging the creature with the possession of unreasonable characteristics because of his initial appearance. Finally, one might say that assuming that “they behold only a detestable monster” is prejudging the De Laceys, but actually it shows that the creature has the awareness to see that, because of his appearance, most would see a “detestable monster” that performs evil acts. The creature’s encounter with the De Lacey’s allows the reader to understand why the creature started to take a path of destruction.
Society’s prejudgment of the creature’s appearance pushes the creature away from his good emotions of kindness and empathy and causes him to act like society expects him to. The creature saves a drowning girl from a river, only to be shot by a man. After the creature is injured, he explains to Victor, “The feelings of kindness and gentleness, which I had entertained but a few moments before, gave place to hellish rage and gnashing of teeth. Inflamed by pain, I vowed eternal hatred and vengeance to all mankind” (143). The creature shows the good qualities of “kindness” and “gentleness” when his natural response is to risk his life to save the girl. Mary Shelley uses the words “gave place” to emphasize that this scene is the turning point in the book as the creature decides to fit the prejudgment of his appearance that society caused. The creature is in emotional pain when society rejects him for the second time and decides to “vow[ed] eternal hatred and vengeance to all mankind.” The creature’s vow to give humans no more chances and to take revenge is immediately fulfilled when he kills William because of society’s immediate prejudgment of his actions (144-5). The creature actions in response to society, causes the creature to start to turn into a reflection of society’s monster.