Physical Appearance in Mary Shelly's Frankenstein Essay

People should be judged on their character and personality, instead of outward appearances. It is hard to feel handsome or pretty all of the time; picking out all of the insecurities. Feeling awkward and out of place in front of friends and family can be hard to deal with. Everyone can relate to the creature every once in awhile. The theme, “Beauty isn’t skin deep, it’s what’s inside that matters”, can be found throughout Mary Shelley’s, Frankenstein, when the blind old man enjoys the company of the creature, the creature yearns for a mate, and at the end of the story, the creature does weep for Victor when he dies.

In Mary Shelly’s epistolary Frankenstein and Franz Kafka’s novella “The Metamorphosis,” the authors explore the dangerous impact of society and rejection. Both creatures are rejected and isolated by their families have been defined as monsters. But, the authors force the reader to look past physical appearance to uncover who the real monster is, society; it defines what make us human. Society defines others solely based on what they see, disregarding any humane characteristics they may possess.

   Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein, sheds light on the importance of appearance through the tale of an unwanted creation that is never given a chance by society. Ironically, the supposed beast was initially much more compassionate and thoughtful than his creator, until his romantic and innocent view of the human race was diminished by the cruelty and injustice he unduly bore. Not only does the creature suffer the prejudice of an appearance-based society, but other situations and characters in the novel force the reader to reflect their own hasty judgment. The semi- gothic novel includes several instances of societal prejudice that include the isolation and outcast of Frankenstein's creation,

For many centuries, a vast dispute has iced the world over whether genes or environmental inspirations might affect one’s disposition, development, and deeds. As crucial as canvas in art, the philosophy of nature and nurture come together as the fundamental structure to one’s personality and genetic makeup. In the novella, Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, the association of the exterior appearance and inner feelings are openly linked. The hideous creature that the science addict, Victor Frankenstein, makes is initially innocent yet severely deformed. His nature is to be benevolent and sympathetic, however, society only views his external appearance, which is of defect. The natural act of mankind is to judge based on exterior appearance, thus the creature is quickly detested and branded as an abnormal mutant due to his peripheral look. Mary Shelly’s efficient utilization of nature vs. nurture conflict ultimately serves to emphasize that the nurturing development of an individual gyrates around nature.

Frankenstein’s creation was lost in the world with no one who could have understood him . It felt sorrowful and unfulfilled emotions as seen in this quote. Betrayal by Victor leaves a large impact the monster carried, which, turned into a monster full of hate and dissatisfaction. Victor’s creation was not a monster , but new born baby in a grown horrific body that was not to be called his own . It becomes a monster both mentally and physically, who will be feared by all . Victor not giving him the love he needed gets the monster enraged, which leads the monster to cause series of events that affects Victor unforgivably. .

Do not judge a book by its cover. Those are the words of a famous American proverb that says a person’s character cannot be judged based on their appearance. This proverb is very fitting in regards to the monster from Frankenstein. On the outside, he has a terrible appearance, and as a result is victimized and made to suffer by those who cannot see past his looks. Yet he has a kind soul and is simply looking for happiness and a little compassion from others. Both the book and the play present him as a sufferer in a cruel world but ultimately the book does a better job portraying his pain and eliciting empathy from the reader. The monster in the book details his suffering in greater detail, is more eloquent and persuasive and also

Alienation is a product of society’s inherently discriminatory bias, catalyzed by our fear of the unknown in the realm of interpersonal conduct. Mary Shelley, in her novel, Frankenstein, dissects society’s unmerited demonization of individuals who defy—voluntarily or involuntarily—conventional norms. Furthermore, through her detailed parallel development of Frankenstein and his monster, Shelley personifies the tendency to alienate on the basis of physical deformity, thereby illustrating the role of the visual in the obfuscation of morality.

What defines a monster? Is it their grotesque, unnatural appearance that separates them from the rest of mankind, or is it their lack of remorse and compassion that makes them different? The word monster conjures up figures from gothic horror of exotic peoples with horrifyingly exaggerated features, and the kinds of impossible delusive beasts inhabiting the pages of medieval bestiaries. Well at first I thought exactly that. When I used to hear the word “monster”, my mind immediately pictured the petrifying beast that took residence under my bed for a substantial portion of my childhood. It had demonic beating red eyes, razor sharp teeth that glistened with fresh blood and amphibian like scales covering every inch of its enormous body. However, as I got older, I started to realize that there was no such thing as monsters and that it was all just a figment of my imagination. Accordingly, the fear of the monster under my bed slowly dissipated. Nevertheless, it wasn’t until after reading a quote by my favorite author, Steven King, that I was finally able to fully comprehend what the true definition of the word “monster” really was. “Monsters are real, ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes they win”. It had taken me awhile to truly grasp what King had meant, but then it clicked. Everyone has a monster inside them, dormant or not. That monster is the voice we hear in the back of our heads, urging us to cheat or to steal, and in some instances, worse. That monster

In Shelley’s Frankenstein, the monster is portrayed as a grotesque abomination. However, as Hopkins states in Contending Forces, the cultural and geographical situations, or lack thereof, in which one matures in play a crucial role in the proper development of one’s mind and brain. The monster is simply a product of circumstance. The lack of social interactions alongside geographical isolation propelled the daemon to be alienated from society, ultimately resulting in a lack of morals and an underdeveloped psyche. By being a culmination of his surroundings and experiences it is revealed that the true monstrous entities are the factors that leave the daemon predisposed to fail in a modern society. Arguably, Victor created a being, while the circumstances that said being was placed in “created” a monster. Shelley purposefully terrorizes the monster with such intensity to provoke and justify the overarching theme in this novel which states that people should not be judged on their physical appearance.

Tears and pain- both physical and emotional: these are the things that many children across the world experience due to abuse. Not typically thought of as a form of abuse, but perhaps one of the most important factors in determining a child’s mental health and behaviors, is acceptance. Universally, children crave for acceptance from their peers, family members, and all other members of society; the neglect rendered by denying a child of this normality causes the fostering of resentment within the child, which can lead to much larger negative emotions as well as actions. Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein, explores this concept in her novel largely through the character of the nameless fiend. Through a study of the fiend and the neglect that he suffers at the hand of Victor Frankenstein and society, the most drastic of consequences of abuse and

This example of the significance of appearance in modern society is also echoed in Frankenstein. The parallel between the society in the novel and modern society is that of snap judgements based solely on appearances. In the novel, Victor Frankenstein is a perpetrator of such judgements. Victor “selected his features as beautiful.” Here it is seen Victor’s shallowness as he picked the most perfect body parts and beauteous features, all to be pieced together in great anticipation. However as one can see, the result is horrific and due to the hideousness of the wretch that he has created, he abandons him. This same shallowness of judgement due to appearance again surfaces when Victor accuses the creature of murdering William

Members of the society in the novel assume the monster is evil based on his physical appearance and they don’t accept him for who he is. The only person that was willing to talk to the monster is a man named De Lacy. Since the monster needs shelter to survive he asks the old man if he can stay with him. The old man is blind so he is unable to see the monster's appearance. The monster and old man De Lacey get along and the monster describes how he feels alone and is judged by any person who looks at him, so De Lacy says, “I am blind and cannot judge of your countenance, but there is something in your words which persuades me that you are sincere” (136). Everyone the monster has encountered

Although humanity prides itself on its continuous societal improvements, superficial judgment continues to thrive, especially between those who differ in looks. The art of physiognomy dates back to the beginning of mankind and has continued to evolve with humanity, negatively impacting those who are categorized into unfavorable stereotypes. In Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, there are flagrant displays of the upsetting role appearance plays in society, as modern-day racism parallels the prejudice the monster experiences due to his exterior. Despite its publication year of 1818, the novel is still pertinent, especially as the world struggles to override unconscious biases correlating to race or unorthodox physicality.

James Whales’ nationally acclaimed film, Bride of Frankenstein, depicts the Monster’s inability to adapt to humanity and his progression as an outcast. Likewise, Jeffrey Jerome Cohen’s Monster Culture (Seven Theses) explores how our differences can be incorporated into our mentality and develop monsters from ourselves. Especially within his fourth thesis, “The Monster Dwells at the Gates of Difference”, this directly relates to how the Monster is rejected by the townspeople and anyone who is able to judge him by his appearance. Whales incorporates judgement and rejection as the basis of human nature. However, in the scene with the Monster and the blind hermit, Cohen’s idea of the Minimal Group Paradigm shows how the majority of humanity segregates

My physical appearance is rigid and unpleasant, but I behold a beauty that so few acquire a glance at. I may seem fragile, yet I have a powerful, hidden strength. Although I appear as a lifeless creature, I have the ability to change the world slowly through my small actions. I am versatile and appeal to people through my various uses and treasures. Some may see me as a mystery, but I am no secret--I am a oyster.