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Frankenstein Nature Vs Nurture Essay

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One of the most popular debates among people is the idea of nature versus nurture. According to psychology.about.com:
The nature versus nurture debate is one of the oldest philosophical issues within psychology…nature refers to all of the genes and hereditary factors that influence who we are – from our physical appearance to our personality characteristics [while] nurture refers to all the environmental variables that impact who we are, including our early childhood experiences, how we were raised, our social relationships, and our surrounding culture. (Cherry)
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein addresses the nature versus nurture debate through the creation of Victor Frankenstein’s monster, also referred to as the creature. The creature, who can be seen as an antagonist at first glance, is not inherently evil. In fact, it is his interactions and encounters with society that influences his behavior and actions. Ha Jin’s “Saboteur” is another story that features similar themes. Both Frankenstein and “Saboteur” contain themes on how society and interactions between groups of people can influence behavior and acts of violence. When compared, both stories provide strong arguments that support the nurture aspect of the nature versus nurture debate in regards to the origins, effects, and distribution of violence. In order to understand the concept of evil that the audience sees in the creature, it is important to acknowledge Victor Frankenstein as two people, the father of the

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