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The Creature In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

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Say there is someone, someone who acts viciously and commits heinous acts. Now, say that this same someone is just a child, misunderstood and abandoned. Knowing that this once-perceived evil being is just a child who’s been through immense amounts of misery and anguish – the root cause behind the crimes they committed – does that change one’s view of him? Throughout Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the character of the creature is first seen as an evil demon. However, there are different perspectives that can change one’s view of him. During the course of Frankenstein, it is evident that the creature and his behavior is comparable to that of a child. There are many instances where the creature’s actions are comparable to those of a child, seen …show more content…

This is first seen through his development of the senses. He was forced to learn quickly how to differentiate between the senses. In addition, he had to discover fire after seeing it used by beggars. Once he had found it, he determined that its function was to make things warm and that it could be used for cooking food such as nuts and roots. It also took his own experience to find out that while it had its advantages, fire was dangerous and would inflict pain if touched (92). Moreover, the creature includes in his story how he learned to speak. He explains it by saying that he took notice in the manner of communication used by cottagers that utilized sounds and expressed emotion (100). He then took it upon himself to understand and learn how to communicate in this way as well. These are examples of his comparisons to a child, as he is like a child that has no knowledge of the world around him, and therefore must learn the way of the world and how to live and survive. However, the creature was given no help in learning these things like infants and toddlers are: he was shoved into the world with neither aid nor assistance: he must figure out all for

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