This Monster Called Humanity Haley Wilson
If standing face to face with the monster of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, we would all say to ourselves, and possibly out loud, “Dear God, what is that inhuman thing?” However, this poor creature started out as any human would: pure of heart and filled with good intentions. Sadly, the monster is forced to live in the negative extremities of society: hated by his creator, denied by societal norms, and denied acceptance in this world. If we as humans were to go through these same dilemmas all at once, we surely would not seem as human in the end. Upon this monster's first movements, his creator begins to regret making him and runs from him in fright. Thus, the monster is left alone in the world with no feeling of soul or purpose. Many people have experienced such spiritual lows in their lives, but imagine feeling no purpose for one's entire existence. From the Judeo-Christian perspective, all of humanity is loved by God, the ultimate Creator. The monster, however, is not created by an ever-constant God but by a fickle man whose love for his creation is weak, if not non-existent. With no notion of why he was created or who he is, the monster seeks refuge in a forest where he begins observing a family who live within those woods. He longs to have such a connection with someone of his own kind, but he is utterly alone. His outward appearance does not allow for interaction with society, taking away any possibility of friendship with human beings as well. This isolation is a common feeling associated with depression, though never quite so literally. Shelley conveyed the emotion through action, making it impact the reader's empathy even more. At last, the monster reunites with his creator and demands a companion. Frankenstein reluctantly agrees, but he abandons making her for fear of a horrific new race. The monster rampages in his anger, killing all who are dear to Frankenstein. Vengeance then becomes his virtue. These rash actions caused by anger and exasperation show the pain humanity feels when someone denies a promise made. That hurt then leads to greater guilt, for though the rampage ends, the results hauntingly remain. The murders haunt the monster's conscience in a similar way. He begins to regret ever educating himself through literature, best defined in the monster‟s words: “Oh, that I had forever remained in my native wood, nor known nor felt beyond the sensations of hunger, thirst, and heat!” This wish for a lack of emotions is often made in different ways by humans, but it is not truly possible, for our experiences drive emotion into our hearts and expand our minds, and we are unable to avoid experiences if we live on this earth. Thus, the monster embodies the extremities of human existence and experience, and he is perhaps more human than first thought. Like the monster, we begin with pure hearts and intentions; it is the sorrows and grievances of life that drive us to do wrong. At our core, we simply want what the monster desired in every fiber of his being: acceptance and love. If we all were to offer each other this acceptance and love, the monstrous negative extremities would fade from our society, for our inner monsters are our own creations, nourished by the apathy of our society.
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