Oscar Wilde once said “ the true perfection of man lies not in what man has, but in what man is”. In the book Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, the author makes that point very clear when society treats the monster with hasty disapproval of his presence solely off his appearance. Societies treatment of the monster illustrates the shallowness of society and how they believe that true perfection lies in what man has and not what man is.
Throughout the book the monster exhibits traits such as Kindness, Love and Intelligence much like a model citizen in society. When the monster is out on his own he discovers a cabin out in the woods, in this cabin there was a family, who were unaware of the monsters presence in the woods. During this time the monster proves that he is actually quite intelligent when he took it upon himself to indulge in “[Discovering] that the [old man] uttered many of the same sounds when he read as when he talked”(Shelley,108).
This provided evidence of the monsters intelligence and capability to comprehend communication among people in society this proves that he is quite capable of being civilized. When the monster is persistent towards learning, it demonstrates that the monster is intelligent enough to become self educated. This is enough to understand that he is not just some dumb monster but a quite capable and intelligent individual. On another occasion however the monster had been accustomed to stealing food from the family but when he “[Realized it] inflicted pain upon the cottagers, [he] abstained and satisfied [himself] with berries, nuts, and roots”(Shelley,106).
The Review on Monster That Society Created
Most Americans have some idea of who Frankenstein is, as a result of many Frankenstein movies and popularity of monster. However, most peoples ideas are incorrect about Mary Shelleys novel, Frankenstein is the name of the scientist, not monster, and the monster himself is not the inarticulate, rage-driven criminal that Robert de niro shows in the 1994 film version of the novel. Shelleys original ...
This proves the monster is beginning to understand that by stealing from these people he would only do them harm, by abstaining himself from stealing the food he has proven that he is capable of understanding the difference between right and wrong and by doing so he instilled an act of kindness. Not only that but his ability to deny his primal instincts to do what ever he can to survive and only act within his self interest is enough evidence alone to understand that he is one of “good spirit”(Shelley,110).
Which the monster had overheard after “clear[ing] snow in their path and perform[ing] these offices that [he] had seen done by Felix”(Shelley,110).
This recognition of the monsters good spirit is evidence of qualities similar to some one of good nature in society. The monster later on says “[he] admired the virtue and good feelings and loved the gentle manners and amiable qualities”(Shelly,101).
Those qualities of which the monster speaks of are those of the cottagers that he witnessed, this sudden burst of envy allows the reader to understand the monsters ability to love and admire things, much like society does itself among it’s own people. All these traits of the monster are the same of those of a quite admirable man, not the traits of a monster.
Although the monster exhibits all these honorable traits, society will not accept him. Through out the book there was multiple occurrences where the monster was treated solely off his first impression to society, which was his appearance. The first signs of this are when the monster was first created, when Victor sees the monster he describes “The beauty of the dream vanish[ing], and breathless horror and disgust filled [his] heart”(Shelley,42).
The reason why Victor feels this way when he sees the monster is because Victor is a representation of societies views. Since Victor is part of society, his impression would be based solely off what society influences him to think which is to only care about what the monster has not what he is. Another occurrence of this is when the monster finally musters up the courage to enter the cabin and confront the old man. When he enters, the old man greets him kindly and talks to him as if he were a man himself, the reasoning for this is that the old man see’s who he actually is, a kind, loving and intelligent individual. The reason the old man is not like society is because unlike society he is blind to the monsters appearance so it allows him to see the good traits the monster really has and accept him for who he really is. Not long after talking to the old man though the cottage door opened and his children entered, upon entering the monster says “Who can describe the horror and consternation on beholding me?”(Shelley,130).
The Essay on Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Monster Society Creation
... society to a large extent when he abhorred the monster from the very moment of his awakening. Petrified and repulsed by his appearance, ... to the cottage, believing that they will accept him. Both eventually deal with their ... Frankenstein (78)? I shunned the face of man? , Frankenstein (93)? I feel as if I ... also in Victor Frankenstein's mind. One of the reasons for creating his monster, Frankenstein was ...
Before the monster even had a chance to explain the children had already made an assumption that he was a threat just based off he appearance. After they had seen the monster “Agatha fainted, and Safie, unable to attend to her friend rushed out of the cottage and Felix darted forward and with supernatural force tore [the monster] off his father” (Shelley,130).
This reaction alone is enough to say that society is solely basing everything about a person on what they look like and not what they have, thus not accepting the monster into their society, this pattern of constant rejection supports the idea that because Victor and all these other people won’t accept him it is safe to say that no other society will accept him either. Even Victor, after talking to the monster and feeling some sort of sympathy him, can not get over his appearance. When Victor talks to the monster he says “Never will I create another like [you], equal in deformity and wickedness”(Shelley 146).
This response from Victor supports the idea of society being shallow because he only sees what the monster has and because the monster is deformed and ugly that he is automatically evil and wicked much like what society assumes when they first see the monster’s appearance.
I believe that society is in fact shallow because instead of seeing the monster for what he really is, society can not get past the appearance that the monster has. Despite all the times the monster has proved that he is kind, intelligent and loving. Society will not accept him because of what he looks like. Which with all the evidence I provided of what happens when the monster tries to interact. Is enough to say that society solely bases everything off looks and not personality. As Oscar Wilde had once said “the true perfection of man lies not in what man has, but in what man is” which means that society should not be shallow and accept him for who he is, a perfect individual and not on what he looks like; an ugly monster.
The Essay on The Scream Society And The Common Man
Existentialist philosophy at first may appear to be at odds with the everyday world; however, existentialism has some very real applications in the context of society as opposed to the context of existence. Society gives us a role in life, something to give our lives meaning, but what happens when we look too closely at our role and reconsider it? What happens when we ask, why? The Scream by ...
