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Relationship Between Parents And Children In Frankenstein

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It is an undeniable fact the parents have an incredible impact on who their children will grow up to be. Biologically, it is why they exist, not just to create but also to nurture. In the case of many less complex creatures such as salmon, the parents die soon after their offspring is born. Humans, however, are much more complex creatures, and require attention and guidance to become successful adults. The novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley suggests that the relationships, or lack thereof, between parent and child greatly influences a child’s development and plays a major role in determining their personality and actions throughout the rest of their life.
The importance of parenting in how people develop is made clear through the conflicted relationship between Victor Frankenstein and the monster he creates. The plot is largely driven by Frankenstein’s refusal to accept his responsibility for the creature he brought to life. Upon doing so, Frankenstein is horrified by his creation, and “unable to endure the aspect of the being [he] had created, [he] rushed from the room” (pg. 35). Repulsed by the monster's appearance, Frankenstein abandons it with no thought to the responsibility he owes to it as it’s creator. He rejects him, like a father rejecting his son, leaving the creature confused, alone, and bitter for being so thoughtlessly abandoned. With no one to guide him or show him affection, the creature becomes increasingly twisted and his lack of a parental figure becomes

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