Guthman 1

Kayelynn Guthman
Ms. Albrecht
Advanced Composition
November 10, 2014
Who is to Blame?
Victor Frankensteins adventure is a well-known horror story. Mary Shelley wrote it to be
a scary story. But what else can we discover in her book Frankenstein? A huge theme in the
book is Nature versus Nurture, the debate of whether a childs behavior is based on their genetics
or surrounding influences. Frankensteins creature was created and then basically released to the
world with no rules and no consequences of which to speak. Who should take responsibility for
the deaths of Justine, William, Henry, Elizabeth, and Frankensteins father? Who is to blame: the
creature or Frankenstein? Many people sympathize with the monster saying that if he had only
been helped by Frankenstein, or by somebody, he wouldnt have been as prone to murder and
revenge. However, would that really have helped? The creature may be the one at fault here.
He was aware of the world around him. At the very beginning of the creatures tale, he
said, [a] strange multiplicity of sensations seized me, and I saw, felt, heard, and smelt at the
same time (Shelley 84). As he was resting he felt tormented by hunger and thirst (Shelley
84). As he journeyed on, wandering quite aimlessly, he understood more and more of the world
around him. He found fire, ate berries, drank water, and generally observed (Shelley 85-87).
Once he found the De Laceys, his intelligence rapidly increased. I found that these people
possessed a method of communicating their experience and feelings to one another by articulate
sounds (Shelley 92). He learned how to speak. Slowly, but he learned.

Guthman 2
Later, he discovered signs for speech which [Felix] understood (Shelley 94). Over
time, he learned how to read. While Felix De Lacey taught Safie French, the creature paid
attention and was able to read books that he found in the forest near the De Laceys home. In
these books, he found human history and rules. While watching the De Laceys every day, their
kindness moved [him] sensibly (Shelley 92) and it impressed [him] deeply (Shelley 108).
This had a huge impact on him.
Regrettably, compassion only affected him when humans couldnt see him. As long as he
was hidden in his hovel his hiding place or talking to Mr. De Lacey, who was blind, he was
fine. He longed to feel the gentleness that he saw the cottagers display. But he was afraid that
once they saw him, they would be frightened and treat him terribly. Unfortunately, he was right
and as soon as Felix saw him, he dashed [him] to the ground and struck [him] violently with a
stick (Shelley 115). The creature ran and didnt see the De Laceys ever again. He was very
upset with them, having believed that they were kind. He was so angry that he burned their
cottage down.
It is understandable that he was angry with them and Frankenstein but even after months
of dwelling on their benevolence and thinking about how wonderful it was, he went out and
murdered William. And he knew exactly what he was doing. I grasped his throat to silence him,
and in a moment he lay dead at my feet (Shelley 122). He chose to do it after he found that
William was Frankensteins younger brother. And when it was accomplished, he gazed on [his]
victim, and [his] heart swelled with exultation and hellish triumph (Shelley 122). He was proud
of himself.
This need for revenge went a long way. He ended up killing Henry Clerval,
Frankensteins best friend, while they were traveling in Scotland. When he first saw the dead

Guthman 3
body of Clerval, [t]he examination, the presence of the magistrate and witnesses, passed like a
dream from [his] memory (Shelley 155). Frankenstein was heartbroken and fell into a fever for
months. The creature also killed Frankensteins wife, Elizabeth, on their wedding night.
Frankenstein found her lifeless and inanimate, thrown across the bed, her head hanging down
and her pale and distorted features were half covered by her hair (Shelley 173). Elizabeths
death affected his father so much that he died. Frankenstein had returned home and in a few
days [his father] died [his] arms (Shelley 175).
But of course, that was not enough for the creature. He wouldnt rest until Frankenstein
himself was dead. He called Frankenstein his victim (Shelley 194), his last victim (Shelley
196). Once he saw Frankenstein dead he admitted to killing Henry and Elizabeth (Shelley 195).
But he blamed it on his demoniacal design that became an insatiable passion (Shelley 195196). He claimed that he didnt want to kill them but he couldnt help himself. Almost like he
didnt know any better. But he knew what exactly what he was doing the whole time even
though he did confess to cast[ing] off all feeling (Shelley 195) which implies that he was
trying to ignore it.
Near the end of his final speech, the creature said that he couldnt believe that [he was]
the same creature whose thoughts were once filled with sublime and transcendent visions of the
beauty and majesty of goodness (Shelley 196), probably lamenting that he had done these
things. But could he have prevented it? Could he have stopped himself and just accepted that he
wasnt going to receive compassion? Probably. He had the mental capacity to do that. But he
didnt have the emotional capacity.
The monster could have helped it. He could have not killed all of those people. Sure,
Frankenstein could have also done some things better but hes not completely at fault here. The

Guthman 4
creature had his own thought process, decision making skills, everything. He could have made
better choices. But he didnt. And because of that, five people died and countless others were
affected. When a teenager murders someone, is the parent blamed? No. That same logic could be
used here.

Guthman 5
Works Cited
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. New York: Penguin Group, 1818. Print.