As the creature’s penchant for knowledge and information
grows, I find that he has striking similarities to his creator. While he is
radically different than Frankenstein in many ways, both approach the subject
of learning from an unconventional standpoint, and by doing so, both use this
knowledge in a variety of ways. Like Frankenstein, the creature acquires
information on his own, forming opinions without the input of others.
Additionally, both Frankenstein and the creature apply their wisdom erroneously
on multiple accounts; this develops the theme that knowledge, if used
incorrectly can be very dangerous. Frankenstein’s incorrect application of this
knowledge is made tangible by the presence of the creature he heedlessly
created, however the creature’s mistakes come in a far less visible form. As he
learns through the watching the De Lacey family, and reading the books he finds
in the portmanteau, the creature interprets the works, specifically, “Paradise Lost [which] excited different
and far deeper emotions…as a true history” (Shelley 143). The creature begins
to see himself first as a parallel to Adam, a man generated at the hands of a
creator, but also empathizes with the spurned Satan. He does not realize that
this work of literature is not necessarily the truth he seeks, however it helps
him form his opinions on his creator.
The creature’s ability to gain, process, and utilize knowledge is very
intriguing. In a short span of time, he is able to go from an infantile
mentality to a fully functioning adult who knows of literature, language, and
human interaction. While this transformation is impressive, it is also
dangerous. Because the creature is given no guidance or direction, his
application of this knowledge is often in a haphazard fashion. The parallels
between the creator and the creation are found within their erroneous
application of the knowledge they have acquired.
On a similar note, the creature's acquisition of knowledge also has deep emotional implications. As he reflects upon his condition in comparison to the other humans such as his "protectors" and Adam, the creature realizes how isolated he truly is. Much to his misfortune, his "sorrow only increased with knowledge," (Shelley, 136). This emotional damage proves to be equally as dangerous as at times, it drives the creature into angry rampages. Frankenstein also experiences emotional trauma with the increase of knowledge, due to the unforeseen tragedies his creation has caused.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with Lauren's insight of this dangerous knowledge that both Frankenstein and the creature have acquired. The more they seek and observe with no guidance, the more they have distorted their understanding of the world; it conflicts with their emotions and causes this "disease" to cause them to be miserable, pitiful beings, who hate themselves.
ReplyDeleteAnother point to go off Eleanor's excellent comment would be about the creature's acknowledgment of calling the family his "protectors." Quoted on page 137, ".. but which all terminated in additional love and reverence for my protectors (for so I loved, in an innocent, half painful self-deceit, to call them). A good thing to mention would be the creature's deprived innocence. Unlike all living creatures, the creature was not guided by his "creator" or supposedly guardian. There was no one to teach him knowledge of the world; he sought out for information from observations. Though this new found knowledge in turn became dangerous and destructive for the creature.
Lauren’s idea is very interesting. I think that she’s correct in that there are a lot of parallels between Frankenstein and the Creature. However, unlike Lauren or Liexel, I do believe that the Creature is given guidance in his education. Just as Frankenstein’s meeting with his chemistry professor “decided [his] future destiny,” the Creature’s meeting of the De Laceys influenced his education (77). When the Creature realizes that Safie “was endeavouring to learn their language…the idea instantly occurred to [him], that [he] should make use of the same instructions to the same end” (133). However, I do recognize that the Creature’s education is very limited—spanning only what the De Laceys taught him and the knowledge obtained from a very select group of books.
ReplyDeleteDrawing from the small amount of materials and experiences the creature grows by leaps and bounds which leave definite gaps in its maturation. Forced to adapt at a literally inhuman pace the creature begin's to infer all future knowledge based upon his previous experiences until otherwise contradicted. This is a very normal progression, and very reminiscent of the basics of the scientific method, but given the extremely limited amount of experience the creature has to draw from; solely the three books, the De Lacey's, and his rejection by human society. The creature inadvertently prepares himself to give into negative expressions of anger and rage when his hope for the "model family" is ultimately dashed by the De Laceys.
ReplyDeleteI disagree that Frankenstein and the being's knowledge is dangerous. Lauren states, "Frankenstein and the creature apply their wisdom erroneously on multiple accounts," and I do not believe they are applying "wisdom" in any sort of sense. The lack of wisdom, however, is what causes all this mayhem. Frankenstein's knowledge in creating the being is not the catalyst for the being's contempt and destruction, but rather it is Frankenstein's unwise choice to abandon the monster and all sense of responsibility right after creation. If he were more wise, and realized that while he "clapped [his] hands for joy" as he "became assured that [his] enemy indeed fled," problems do not disappear by ignoring them. Maybe bringing the monster up in a more favorable environment, or even ending it right there, would have created a gentle giant, a more BFG like creature than the monster with which we're familiar. That's a pretty big maybe. Even more wise would have been simple forethought about what to do with the monster if it gained consciousnesses, knowledge, anything. Likewise, the being's knowledge is not at all dangerous. It's his lack of wisdom that elicits needless death and destruction. Neither of those can help the poor monster's state. I definitely agree that the being is very adolescent; like a child throws a temper tantrum, the being does the same with a much more deadly body. Knowledge isn't dangerous. Lack of wisdom is dangerous. E=mc^2 wasn't dangerous until some very unwise scientists thought killing would elicit peace.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate Lauren’s insights regarding the similarities between Frankenstein and the Creature’s intellectual isolation and how this isolation leads to their misuse of the academic resources available to them. Lauren points out how the Creature believes the stories he finds are fact rather than fiction (143), and that Frankenstein does not use what he learns wisely when creating the Creature. However, I think a stronger parallel would be between the creature’s misinterpretation of Paradise Lost and Frankenstein’s early belief in the disproven texts of Agrippa and similar authors. Frankenstein reflects how he was left by his family to “pursue my studies alone” (69), which leads him to believe in ideas which have since been disproven and are scorned by the academic community (74). Through this example, we can see Frankenstein and his monster both have trouble distinguishing fact from fiction during their early educations.
ReplyDeleteI also appreciate Eleanor’s observation of how the Creature’s academic misguidance leads it to emotional distress. I think an interesting parallel to this is how while the Creature feels that “Increase of knowledge only discovered to me more clearly what a wretched outcast I was” (145), this wretchedness is emotional not physical. After being created, the Creature has no experience of either physical or emotional comfort (121); and yet once he encounters these comforts, it is the emotional comfort he longs for, and he is perfectly willing to “quit the neighborhood of man, and dwell, as it may, in the most savage of places” (158) if he can have a companion. As the Creature learns about the world, he fixates on his emotional discomfort and isolation rather than on the physical comforts which he is denied.
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