Nature vs. Nurture in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Besides, the creature was the kind of person that if someone taught him beautifully, he would pay back by admiring and loving this person. By this media, the creature learned to admire people's grace, beauty, and delicate complexions. The creature understood one language, which was French and quickly he could say some words like sister, brother, fire, milk, etc. This language was taught to him by a French family who he loved: "The French family was the school where the creature studied all the science that he knows and learned history as well." Also, the monster thought this family was the most kind and excellent in the world; but, the same family also taught and showed him how humans could be hurtful, when the family refused to become his friend. On the other hand, the knowledge and education that the creature received from the French family, was not enough to prevent his bad attitude in his personality that came within his creation. The creature was not a great person all the time; he was someone who could murder anyone at anytime, just because he was making revenge against Frankenstein. Besides, the creature was someone who felt alone in earth by the fact that he did not have friends and relationships; he was questioning why he had no father watching him when growing up or a mother taking care of him. "The creature thought his past life was a blemish where he did not distinguish anything."

He is oblivious to the fact that his appearance is horrific and has no knowledge of the concept of evil because he has had no exposure to society (Edwards). The monster does not know that civilized man views his ugly exterior as representative of evil within, so he is baffled when the occupant of a hut he stumbles upon produces a terrified shriek and runs away (Shelley, 105). The monster later comes to know good and evil; virtue and vice; due to the fact that he possesses the faculty of "perfectibility – man's inexhaustible ability to improve himself (…) and be shaped by his environment" (Edwards). This quality of adaptability allows for enlightenment to occur, but is ultimately the source of all of man's misery.

“Nurture vs. Nature”, are some individuals destined to become evil? Or does the environment and experiences of the individual shape who they are? In Mary Shelley’s novel “Frankenstein” there is a character (the creature) that these questions apply to. Through her use of diction, changes in perspective, and imagery, she was able to make the creature seem more human than creature by making the reader sympathize with the creature.

The novel Frankenstein written by Mary Shelley in 1818, suggested that the traumatic events that happened to the creature turned him into a monster. The exposure we see in Frankenstein leads to the idea of nature versus nurture. Frankenstein suggested to us that nurture has a stronger influence on us then nature. I want to investigate whether someone is born a monster or whether society shapes them into the monster they become. Opinions on this topic vary from critic to critic. The first critic is Abbey Young (2013), her article relates and supports my hypothesis and it also talks about Frankenstein becoming a victim. The second critic by Anonymous #1 (2012) talks about both nature and nurture, their opinion on the matter is that Victor Frankenstein falls victim to nature and the creature is a victim of nurture. The third critic is Anonymous #2 (2012) they think that nurture had been the main influence for the creature's actions, all of the critics differ from one another.

A person becomes who they are as a result of a mixture of factors throughout his or her life. Many argue that some people are simply born evil, while others believe they were so drastically affected by events of their childhood that they turned wicked. The nature vs. nurture controversy centers on whether an evolutionary approach to development places too much emphasis on nature, the biological basis of personality, and not enough on nurture, the role of learning. The psychological viewpoint on development is based on the relationship between heredity and the environment, rather than one factor taking precedence in the formation of personality. In Frankenstein, Shelley highlights the fundamental role of nurture in relation to the development

Philosophers and scientists alike have debated for centuries whether a person’s character is the result of nature or nurture. In the writings of Thomas Hobbes, it is expressed that humans are endowed with character from birth, and that they are innately evil in nature. John Locke’s response to this theory is that everyone is born with a tabula rasa, or blank slate, and then develops character after a series of formative experiences. The idea that true character is the result of experiences and societal interaction is a theme deeply explored throughout Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Through different interactions with the monster, Shelley attempts to express that it is because of Victor’s failings as a parent and creator, because of the

If the monster would have encountered a family in which the husband was an abusive drunk and the wife beat her children, Frankenstein would have evolved into a different person. The monster is hated by every person he encounters. Frankenstein calls his creation a horrible disaster, which leaves a mark on the monster. The creator leaves him for dead and does not care what happens to the monster.

the nature vs. nurture theme is at the forefront of Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein. The two main characters, Victor Frankenstein and the creature he creates, both have an innate nature that factors into each one’s personality and way of life; however, Frankenstein and the creature are subjected to two very different nurturing styles. Although both nature and nurture are important throughout the novel, the nature argument is responsible for the fall of Victor Frankenstein, while the nurture argument is responsible for the fall of the creature. Shelley makes this idea clear to the reader through her powerful diction when describing Victor’s and the creature’s personalities. Shelley also makes use of light and fire as a symbol for an intellectually

In 1818 Frankenstein was written by Mary Shelley. In Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein brings a creature to life. The creature kills William, Henry Clerval, and Elizabeth. Victor had promised to make a female creature for the creature, but he did not fulfill his promise. This makes the creature enraged. The creature runs away and Victor follows him. Victor gets on a boat with Walton. Victor dies and the creature comes and is very sad that his creator has died. The creature says that he must end his suffering and he jumps into the ocean. In the novel Frankenstein, Shelley uses the theme of nature to show how it is like the characters of the story and how it affects the characters.

At this point the monster’s intentions are to find companions. He is like a baby in the sense that he knows nothing about the world, but does know that he needs companions. This shows that the need for people in life is vital for learning how to interact, live, and find a place in society. In addition to experiencing abandonment, people in villages immediately shun him because of the way he looks. The monster attempts multiple times to form good relations with people, but every time people instantly react terribly to him.

“Nature is all that man brings with himself into the world; nurture is every influence from without that affects him after his birth”. -Sir Francis Galton Nurture is situations that affect who you are. As an example Mary Shelley shows how a character can be nurtured to who they will become. In Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Victor Frankenstein who is a young doctor becomes intrigued and obsessed with bringing the dead back to life. He creates a “monster” who comes back to life wich Victor abandons. The creature is than left to defend and learn by himself which than he had to interact with humans who violently injured him. The monster in Frankenstein is who he is because he was nurtured specifically he has learned from the people who have hurt him and they have shaped his identity.

“Nature is all that a man brings with himself into the world; nurture is every influence without that affects him after his birth” (“100 Famous…”). A mixture of a person’s genes and the environment in which they are brought up in dictates who they ultimately become. In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the main character, Victor Frankenstein, conceives a creature of gigantic human stature due to scientific advances. Victor studies natural philosophy and chemistry, and through these subjects he makes it his ultimate priority to create a humanlike being to see exactly how advanced his scientific capabilities are. Although Victor and the creature are affected by different nature and nurture styles, they ultimately develop a similar persona of being

The discussion of nature versus nurture has been argued for centuries with no real consensus. Philosophers like Plato and Descartes have given their thoughts on the subject, but to no avail. The topic arises in Frankenstein written by Mary Shelley. The monster has no nurture and therefore turns into a killing fiend. This novel supports the view that nurture is the defining quality.

The monster swiftly learned how society operates during his encounters with the villagers who drove him out of town, along with Felix attacking him to defend his father. The situation was certainly not helped by the monster discovering how repulsive he is.

The absence of nurturement to a human can greatly affect their behavior. Scientist have found that a person’s environment has an impact on how an individual behaves. Things such as life experiences and thought process can alter the brain's activity. In Frankenstein the creature's development is unintentional because at first they have a sense of innocents and no intentions of harmful acts but experiences abandonment and starts to reflect on his own being and that when his behavior changes. “CURSED, CURSED CREATOR! Why did I live? Why, in that instant, did I not extinguish the spark of existence which you had so wantonly bestowed? I know not despair had not yet taken possession of me; my feelings were those of rage and revenge.”(Shelly 117), the creatures experience of life has made its brain think of revenge which other wise wouldn’t be triggered without nurture.