Frankenstein- The Effects of Isolation and Rejection

Essay by kate189University, Bachelor'sA-, December 2004

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The Effect of Isolation and Rejection

In the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, the monster is born more or less with the mind of a baby. He craves attention, love and nurturing as all babies do. The monster was left with no one to teach him anything, and to understand the world solely on his own. After observing, and slowly figuring out how the world works, he was unable to imitate because no one accepted him, including his creator. Isolation and rejection can affect everyone differently, as in the case with the monster his character changed drastically because of it.

When someone is born they need some sort of direction. As soon as the monster came into being his creator abandoned him, leaving him to figure out the world on his own. How can a newborn learn if there is no one to teach? The monster had to find means of survival.

After observing the outside world and people's actions he realized the general means of living. After watching the cottagers' day in and day out he learned their values and way of life. After being completely rejected by them he felt more alone than ever because he realized that humans need companions and family, and that his appearance would rid him of those pleasures altogether. His physical grotesqueness is the aspect of his persona that blinds society to his initial gentle, kind nature. By observing, he longed. Only after seeing that people needed one another did the monster realize he needed someone too. It was his feelings of isolation that lead to his character change.

Everyone is born innocent. The monster was born not knowing anything about the world. Once he learned what people value, accept and care about he thought he needed that to. Willing to take in...