Honors English 10
Frankenstein
Essay
The Forbidden
Fruit
"All things
truly wicked start from an innocence."
Ernest Hemingway
(1899-1961)
The Creature was not born evil. Nor was his corruption his fault. He was born innocent, without fault or
sin. The Creature was turned to a
Monster after he learned of humanity, and what a cold, cruel thing it can
be. He was shunned, beaten, chased, and
persecuted by those who did not understand him.
The Monster then turned bitter and vengeful, and hated his creator for
giving him life. In Marry Shelly's
Frankenstein, The Creature symbolizes fallen innocence, his childlike naivete
stripped away by the cold, uncaring world.
The Creature was
truly innocent after his creation. At
first, he knew nothing but base urges and desires. He was confused buy his senses, unable to
distinguish between them. He only took
clothes to shelter him from the bitter cold, not because he was shameful. He did not even remember his first meeting
with is creator. All he desired were
basic animal needs. He hunted for fruit
and nut to stop the pangs of hunger. He
slept in the forest under the stars. He
sought meager shelter to keep him dry.
These were all he desired before he knew of man. Only after silently observing a family for
months did he learn of the ways of mankind.
He became self-aware and learned common knowledge. He tediously acquired a written and oral
language. Then he yearned to meet his
benefactors. For years after his
creation, the Creature was innocent.
Throughout his
bitter life, the Creature was dealt one blow from humanity after another. After spending time in the cold, wet woods,
he sought more adequate shelter. He
found the small house of a shepherd, who ran in terror after beholding the so
far harmless, yet hideous, Creature. The
Creature was disturbed, but did not give it a second thought after finding and
consuming the shepherd's meager meal of bread and cheese, a feast to the
foraging Creature. After he left the
cottage, he wandered into a town where he found some temping food on a
windowsill. Not knowing any better, he
went for it. He was then met by a mob of
angry villagers, beating, and forcing him into hiding to lick his wounds. When he was hiding in his hovel, watching the
family, he began t loathed himself.
Later, when he approached the family he aspired to and silently
observed, they shunned him and fled, never to return. After that, he read some papers left in the
clack he took so long ago, and learned of his creator. He hated himself, and hated Frankenstein more
for bringing him into the world, and then abandoning him. His experiences with man turned him bitter
and confused.
Humanity made the
innocent, naive Creature into a vicious, bitter monster. After he learned of is creation, he vowed
vengeance against his creator, and against humanity itself. He became withdrawn, and stewed in his own
hate, as he traveled to Geneva to mete his maker. All he wanted then was companionship, someone
to talk to that would not flee in terror.
Therefore, when he came upon Frankenstein's young brother, he decided to
take him, thinking that an innocent child might not flee in terror from
him. The child resisted, and informed
the Monster that he was in relation to Frankenstein. The Monster then killed him in rage, and
cleverly averted the blame to someone else that was close to his creator. Later, when the Monster met Frankenstein, he
requested a mate, with whom he swore he would retreat into the wilderness and
never bother man again. When he was
ultimately refused, he completely destroyed Victor's life. Only after taking so much from mankind did
the Creature become a Monster.
The Creature was
not evil, but he was corrupted by his life experienced with Mankind. Maybe if his maker had taken responsibility,
or if he would have remained in the wilderness, the Creature would have
retained in virtue. However, once he was
brought into the world of man, he slowly became a diabolical demon. He became bitter as he realized what he was,
and as humanity shunned and beat him.
The Creature was not evil, but he was more like Adam, who tasted of the
Tree of Knowledge and opened his eyes to his world, and was then cast from the
blissful paradise of innocence.
No comments:
Post a Comment