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Skylar Brooks

Ms. Winter

British Literature/ Period 1

17 March 2017

Innocence of the Murderer

Children all over the world experience neglect, isolation, and unwarranted cruelty

everyday. In Mary Shelleys timeless novel, Frankenstein, she explores the consequences and

inhumane feelings experienced through these awful situations. During the 1800s when the novel

was written the country was experiencing the romantic period. The romantics believed that

humans should be able to use their own imagination and be their own person. Through the

creature, Shelley shows what is like to be different in the society of 1818 and todays society. As

you learn the life of the creature it shows that Victor and the DeLacys are to blame for the

creatures demise.

Because of the lack of guidance from Victor, the creature is not prepared for the judgment

or cruelty from the outside world. When the creature came to life Victor ran away from him and

hid. After that day he never taught the creature what is good and bad and he left him out to die.

In the article, Parents Who Lash Out at Children Can Stunt Brains, Researchers Say written by

Alfred Lubrano, the medical director of the Child Protection Program states that if a parent stops

responding to the child, its a form of emotional abuse (Lubrano 3). Experiencing no guidance

as a young child that if parents gave guidance the child would be more keen or protected from

the cruelty of the world. When children feel abandoned they start to put the blame on not only

the parent, but themselves. As time goes on and the child goes through life they begin to hate
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their parents. As the creature is reflecting on the epic poem, Paradise Lost, he says, I

considered Satan as the fitter emblem of my condition; for often, like him when I viewed the

bliss of my protectors the bitter gall of envy rose within me(Shelley 117). Due to Victors

neglection, the creature lacks social skills , becomes isolated, and eventually vengeful.

When children are isolated from everyone else they tend to see evil in the world and

become blinded from the good. When Victor and the creature meet again the creature begins

telling Victor about all he has learned throughout the years. As he is discussing society he

expresses, I learned that the possessions most esteemed by your fellow creatures were high and

unsullied descent united with riches. A man might be respected with only one of theses

advantages; but, without either, he was considered, except in very rare instances, as a vagabond

and a slave, doomed to waste his powers for the profits of the chosen few!(Shelley 108).

Through this expression, the reader understands that the creature now only sees the negative in

society. After years of isolation people tend to get desperate for any attention or reason as to why

they are alone. As the creature is discussing Adam and Satan he begins to get desperate. He looks

at Victor and cries, Accursed creator! Why did you form a monster so hideous that even you

turned from me in disgust? God, in pity, made man beautiful and alluring, after his own image;

but my form is a filthy type of yours, more horrid even from the very resemblance. Satan had his

companions, fellow-devils, to admire and encourage him; but I am solitary and

abhorred(Shelley 118). Because of the knowledge the creature gains from Paradise Lost, he

realizes that everyone has a companion, even the devil himself. Thus, he wonders why he is all

alone. Through this negative outlook and lack of companionship, the creature is led to go mad.

In the 1800s as well as todays society us as humans tend to judge others on their

appearance. Before we learn anything about the person we examine them from head to toe and
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make a predetermined decision about them. The creature tried to implement himself into the

DeLacy family. As he was talking to the blind old man the children of the DeLacy family came

in and, Agatha fainted; and Safie, unable to attend to her friend, rushed out of the cottage. Felix

darted forward, and with supernatural force tore [the creature] from his father, to whose knees

[he] clung: in transport of fury, he dashed me to the ground and struck me violently with a

stick(Shelley 122-123). All the creature wants is to fit in but because of how he looks he is

judged by everyone but the blind. When society tells us we are ugly and not worth attention for

so long, we as humans begin to believe it to be the truth. As the creature admired the DeLacys

complexions he looked into a pond and, how [he] was terrified when [he] viewed [himself] in a

transparent pool! At first [he] started back, unable to believe that it was indeed who [he] was

reflected back in the mirror; and when [he] became fully convinced that [he] was in reality the

monster that [he] is, [he[ was filled with the bitterest sensations of despondence and

mortification(Shelley 101). The connection of the creature to todays youth is in perfect

alignment. Once the youth hear something so many times from numerous people they begin to

live and breathe it until there is no other truth.

As drawn out in the novel, children do not do well with rejection and neglect from their

parents. As the creature spirals from an innocent creation to a murderer, the reader it is clearly

shown that Victors harsh neglection leaves the creature feeling vulnerable. As the creature

explores the world on his own, he studies the DeLacys. Through this the creature learns what it

means to be human. When trying to find acceptance from the only role models he has ever

known, he finds only rejection. When Victor and the creature meet again, the creature faces

judgment and rejection. The novel clearly shows Victor and the DeLacys as the creators of a

murderer.
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