Mary Shelley’s Frankinstin research paper

Mary Shelley’s Frankinstin research paper

Samia Mohamed
Professor Bielik
07/18/22
Knowledge Is Powerful
One of the major themes in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein Education. In the novel, Viktors
innate curiosity leads him to cross the boundaries of his intellectual skill in creating a
creature from bare rotting parts. Being educated gave him the skills to push the limits of
what he had previously known to be true about science thus far. Had he not known
literature and text from his previous mentors, he would have never been able to attain a
scientific breakthrough. Education is also shown from the viewpoint of the creature
himself. Being born of no understanding of this world he slowly begins his life of learning
through trial and error. It was as if he was metaphorically an infant learning about the
world and its wonders. The creature gained his education through his surroundings, be
it the books around him, nature or people he found to be quite interesting. It is evident in
the part of the novel when the creature is in bare nature trying to seece warmth. He
expresses “The wet wood which I had placed near the heat dried and itself became
inflamed. I reflected on this, and by touching the various branches, I discovered the
cause and busied myself in collecting a great quantity of wood, so that I might dry it and
have a plentiful supply of fire”. Slowly, his education grew vast of the world around him.
This led the creature in his state to ponder and find meaning or an explanation to the
events he occurred. Education in the creature’s case was essential for survival. It led
gravely to the outcome of him killing Victor’s family. With education comes a great deal
of understanding and questioning. This was reflected later when he witnessed the
ongoings of social normality and strived to attain equality within society. His
understanding of society was set forth by a family he watched in the distance. He
learned ways of life, family, stories and even language. “I learned and applied the
words, ‘fire,’ ‘milk,’ ‘bread,’ and ‘wood.’ I also learned the names of the cottagers
themselves.”I figured with the knowledge he attained he was probably jealous of this
family and all that they had. He wanted a companion to help them grow and learn things
just as the kids had with their grandfather. His knowledge grew from books and
literature that surpassed his limited understanding. “I learned from Werter’s imaginations despondency and gloom, but Plutarch taught me high thoughts; he elevated me
above the wretched sphere of my own reflections, to admire and love the heroes of past
ages. Many things I read surpassed my understanding and experience.”
I wanted to point out that the creature may not have understood the full
comprehension of emotional intelligence. He often let his emotions and lack of
understanding there to be of an effect on his later decisions to kill Victor’s family. This
was evident in his quest for understanding and despair as to why he had been created.
“Why did I live? Why, in that instant, did I not extinguish the spark of existence which
you had so wantonly bestowed? I know not; despair had not yet taken possession of
me; my feelings were those of rage and revenge. I could with pleasure have destroyed
the cottage and its inhabitants and have glutted myself with their shrieks and misery.”
His lack of knowledge towards his emotional status and morality inevitably ensited his
reaction towards Victor.
Victor, on the other hand, did have the educational emotional and social
intelligence that the creature did not possess. Equally so, he lacked the maturity and
responsibility to his work, thus instigating his family’s demise. Had Frankenstin been
mature enough to deal with what he had brought into the world and responsible enough
to stay and teach his creature the outer workings of the world himself would he then
have found himself in an entirely different predicament.
I too would be cranky had my mother or father left me to fend for myself as a
child. I would be lost and afraid but having gained all the same experiences as the
creature I would also bare hatred to my creator for having abandoned me.