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Immaturity In Frankenstein

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When a young child touches a hot stove tears are sure to follow. Trial and error experiences like this are necessary for a child to learn from their mistakes. Some things, however, are taught by parents and guardians. A lack of parenting and guidance can have a dramatic and negative effect on the development of a child. In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the monster that Victor creates is similar to a child. The monster can not speak initially and immediately feels abandoned when Victor goes to bed for the night. He is very emotional over the smallest of issues and shows many more signs of immaturity. Viewing the monster as a child causes the reader to feel empathetic for him like a child without parents. While the monster is learning to live on his own he observes the actions and movement of the DeLacey family. With no guiding figure in his life the monster has to learn to do basic tasks, like a child would, such a speaking his first words. When he is observing the DeLacey family he realizes they communicate their feelings by using words. After observing this the monster decided, “This was indeed a godlike science, and I ardently desired to become acquainted with it.”(100) After his decision to learn the language he starts initially with small words that are associated with objects. He picks up slowly at first saying, “ I was unable to discover any clue by which I could unravel the mystery of their reference.”(100) Gradually and persistently the monster learned his

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