Keefauver1

Eric Keefauver
Ms. Winter
Brit-Lit/Period 1
14 March 2017

Oppression Leads To Violence/Deviance

In the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley the creature is portrayed as deviant,

however the deviance portrayed is caused through the societys insight on the creature. Mary

Shelley also induces key points about how oppression leads to violence. Shelley also touches on

how the creator has such a big influence on the created. Victor vows to study sciences when hes

older, and ends up going to the university of Ingolstadt. Victor then decides to reanimate and

bring to life a dead body. Victor physically creates this creature, however the novel portrays that

the creatures social deviance is adopted through a life of rejection and oppression. Through the

character of the creature Shelley showcases how numerous accounts of oppression leads to social

deviance, and violence.

In Frankenstein by Mary Shelley victor creates this creature that becomes very socially

deviant. However who is to blame for the creatures social deviance? Victor is ultimately to

blame. This is best seen when victor says I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded

moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror

and disgust filled my heart(Shelley 43). This really goes to show how much Victor resents the

creature that he made. With Victor showing such hatred and disgust towards the creature, the

creature develops a personality that makes him very socially deviant. This is best seen when the

creature says Remember, that I am thy creature; I ought to be thy Adam; but I am rather the
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fallen angel, whom thou drivest from joy for no misdeed(Shelley 87). The creature is saying to

victor that he deserves to be happy,and experience the joy of life. The creature continues to say

Everywhere I see bliss, from which I alone am irrevocably excluded. I was benevolent and

good; misery made me a fiend. Make me happy, and I shall again be virtuous(Shelley 87). The

creature is pleading with Victor and telling Victor that the socially deviant personality that he

adopted is because of him. Victor then says to the creature Begone! I will not hear you. There

can be no community between you and me; we are enemies(Shelley 87). Victor is the true

creator of the creature and his personality through numerous accounts of oppression. This is best

seen when the creature says You accuse me of murder; and yet you would, with a satisfied

conscience, destroy your own creature(Shelley 87). This really shows the creature that he was

never valued by anyone and never amount to anything. Which causes a state of anxiety for the

creature because if your own creator thinks you're worthless then you probably are. Which

explains why the creature may have committed these acts of violence, to get his creator's

attention because he had been rejected already so he figured maybe there's one person who likes

me.

Does a life of oppression lead to violence and social deviance? Of course, there is

numerous cases where the person being oppressed acted out in a deviant manor. This is best seen

in The School to Prison Pipeline article when the Editorial board says The policies have not

made schools safe. however , by criminalizing routine disciplinary problems, they have damaged

the lives of many children by making them more likely to drop out and entangling them,

sometimes permanently, in the criminal justice system (Editorial Board 1). This goes to show

how only being told what you're doing wrong doesn't help a being become socially acceptable,
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especially if that person never learned right from wrong. This also shows that victor never taught

this creature right from wrong, so the creature developed a way of communication through

violence. When a person has no guidance throughout the stages of life where they take in the

most information they tend to face oppression in school and on the streets; especially if they are

of a different ethnicity or culture. This is best seen in the The School to Prison Pipeline when

the Editorial Board says For example, the study found that black students in New York city are

14 times more likely to be arrested because of school based incidents than their white

peers(Editorial Board 2). This really proves that some one can face a lifetime of oppression

based on what they look like. This oppression however is caused through some sort of rejection,

whether it be by the creator of that individual or by the society that individual is part of. This can

really take a toll on someone. This is best seen in Frankenstein when the creature says I

cannot believe that I am the same creature whose thoughts were once filled with sublime and

transcendent visions of the beauty and majesty of goodness. But it is even so; the fallen angel

becomes a malignant devil. Yet even that enemy of God and man had friends and associates in

his desolation; I am alone(Shelley 208). This really shows why the creature had such a hard

time in society, because he viewed himself as a fallen angel and when you have that state of

mind how are you supposed to fit in with society. Also the creature doesn't understand that

society judges a lot based off looks and they stereo type certain people the way they see fit.

Failure to recognize this could lead to one's social deviance because if that being doesn't

understand or was never taught how to deal with situations, then how are they suppose to fit in

with their community. This is the creatures biggest issue he doesn't know how to handle a

situation where he faces oppression, instead he refers to himself as satan and says even he has
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friends and I am alone. The creature is somewhat responsible for his own deviance as well

because he chose to give up after numerous accounts of oppression instead of overcoming the

situation.

In conclusion Victor is ultimately the creator of this creature and his personality.

However the creature may have been able to overcome this life of rejection and oppression

through self awareness and a positive state of mind. The creator failed to establish a relationship

with his creation and show affection which ultimately led to the socially deviant and violent

creature. Victor is responsible not the society. Even though the creature faced oppression through

the society victor never taught the creature that was wrong of people to do. So the creature

adopted this outcast personality which ultimately led to his downfall. Victor failed to recognize

this leaving his creature in shock because even his own creator didn't want anything to do with

him and saw him as an abortion. Throughout the novel Shelley shows how the creatures life of

rejection and oppression by both creator and the society leads to his socially deviant personality.

Shelley also showcases how the character of the creature is very deviant to get the point across

that some one can only take so much oppression before adopted a socially deviant lifestyle.
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Works cited

The school to prison pipeline by the editorial board may 29 2013 New york times

Frankenstein by Mary shelley 1818