Kyiona Jackson A Creators Fall: The Reality of Being a Monster Since inception, society has continued to place the

label of monster on Dr. Victor Frankensteins (who I will further refer to as Frankenstein) creation in the story Frankenstein written by Mary Shelley. This label is evident in that most of society perceives Frankensteins creation to in fact be Frankenstein. However, this paper will introduce a new theory that Frankenstein himself turned out to be the monster in the story. Premises that support this theory include: Frankenstein begins to lose his human qualities during the creation process, Frankenstein serves as a warning to society against exploring the depths of the unknown due to the fact that the turnout may be unfavorable, and finally, a creation can only be what the creator wants the creation to be. So, in turn Frankensteins creation can only be what Frankenstein creates him to be. These three premises work cohesively in order to prove that Frankenstein is the monster throughout the story and not Frankensteins creation. To begin with, Frankenstein begins to lose sight of his human qualities once he begins to create this creation. In the beginning of the excerpt, Frankenstein states himself, I seemed to have lost all soul or sensation but for this one pursuit (37). In order to create his creation. Frankenstein had to steal body parts from those who were already dead and buried in their grave and kill animals in order to transfer the life from the animals to Frankensteins creation to life. Frankenstein began to lose compassion and rational and logical thinking which separates humans from the other. Frankenstein describes humans as being complex and wonderful (35). However, grave robbing and killing animals is in no way wonderful as a human being. These acts are barbaric and repulsive that few, if any, humans would degrade themselves to committing. By Frankenstein committing such repulsive and demeaning acts, Frankenstein is the monster in the story and not his creation.

Secondly, Frankenstein is the warning of what curiosity and exploration can cause. No one has ever brought anyone back from the dead before nor has anyone even attempted to commit such acts due to the fact that nobody felt that s/he could play God. However, as noted by Jeffrey Jerome Cohen in his excerpt entitled Monster Culture (Seven Theses), his fifth thesis states that the monster policies the borders of the possible (20). Essentially, Frankenstein does the impossible of bringing to life something that was once dead, thus placing him inside the criteria of being defined as a monster. Frankenstein is viewed as a warning due to the fact that he does commit the impossible and brings back the life of the dead; however, this deed backfired against Frankenstein due to the fact that he begins to fear his very own creation. Once Frankenstein finishes his project he is apprehended with repulsion towards his creation because of the creations physical appearance and stature. By Frankenstein going beyond what society thought of as being possible then in turn fearing his own creation is the warning to society that curiosity is not often times in ones best interest, which is a characteristic of a monster in Cohens theses. Finally, a creation can only be what the creator makes the creation to be. Frankensteins creation has no control over what it will be once created. Frankenstein took different body parts from different peoples graves and attached them surgically while transferring the lives of different animals into this one creation. As a reader, Frankensteins creation appears to be a window into the true spirit of Frankenstein himself. The monster that Frankensteins creation is made to be is only a reflection of the real monster inside of Frankenstein himself which is what can be hypothesized to actually scare Frankenstein the most. Frankensteins creation is initially incoherent, only does what he is told, and has no emotion nor rational thought. For several months out of the summer, Frankenstein became incoherent to the outside world outside of what

he was doing in order to complete his project. Frankenstein, as previously stated, lost all rational thought and compassion for human life when he desecrated other peoples graves and killed animals for his own selfish needs. Frankensteins creation cannot be referred to as a monster due to the fact that he was man-made, and therefore can only be what Frankenstein made him to be. All in all, despite popular belief that Frankensteins creation is the monster throughout Shelleys Frankenstein, Frankenstein himself is the monster. Frankenstein loses sight of his human qualities such as compassion and logical thinking during the creation process. Frankenstein also appears as a warning of exploration into unknown and uncovered territory by creating something that was once impossible; however, once created, the creation that was supposed to be something the doctor was going to be proud of quickly became something that the doctor feared. Finally, Frankensteins creation had no part in becoming what he became. Frankenstein began the project with preconceived notions as to what he wanted his creation to look like and what characteristics he wanted the creation to possess. However, in the end Frankenstein created something that was a mirror into his own self and saw the monster that he himself became throughout the creation process.