Berry !1Grace BerryMr. BlevinsHon. English 211-05-15Virtues and Vices and the Struggle Between Nature vs Nurture"Virtue is found at the margins of society more often than at its center," (F.E.). Virtue isexemplified in Mary Shelley's monster more so than in his creator, Victor Frankenstein. Societyportrays the creature as an ugly, green, bumbling fool, who likes to destroy things and has nocapacity for knowledge. In actuality Mary Shelley's character is a kind eloquent creature,wrongly treated by his creator. Victor Frankenstein exemplifies a lot of the vices that MaryShelly seems to think are the worst in humanity.All the characters in Frankenstein show virtues or vices; sometimes both. Mary Shelleyseems to believe that knowledge is the biggest
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Elizabeth embodies the lightof Victor Frankenstein's world and represent all the good qualities he will never have. She iskind, giving, and happy with not knowing the secrets to life. She just wants to make other peoplehappy and refuse to see the bad in others. While Elizabeth had many virtues, most of them listedin the previous sentence, she never really appeared to have a vice. Which is why a love of peoplefind her a meaningless character, but in reality, Elizabeth contrasts Victor in every way possible.She is there to be the opposite of Victor and show just how dark he will become.Victor's madthirst for knowledge and greatness will never be experienced by the sweet innocent Elizabeth,even though they grew up in the same home, proving the nature theory behind nurture vs nature.Having the same parents and childhood didn't drastically affect their characters. Begging thequestion, was Mary Shelley herself nurture or nature? And how did she use this opinion toformulate the virtues and vices of her characters.To some, Mary Shelley seems to be nurture due to the fact that the monster started outgood and innocent. But because of the way he was treated, he became cold and violent. Toothers, she is nature because Victor and Elizabeth both grew up in the same situation, and yetended up so starkly different. But really both of them prove the other. Victor was brought up in aloving home and yet he is a cruel,
Elizabeth embodies the lightof Victor Frankenstein's world and represent all the good qualities he will never have. She iskind, giving, and happy with not knowing the secrets to life. She just wants to make other peoplehappy and refuse to see the bad in others. While Elizabeth had many virtues, most of them listedin the previous sentence, she never really appeared to have a vice. Which is why a love of peoplefind her a meaningless character, but in reality, Elizabeth contrasts Victor in every way possible.She is there to be the opposite of Victor and show just how dark he will become.Victor's madthirst for knowledge and greatness will never be experienced by the sweet innocent Elizabeth,even though they grew up in the same home, proving the nature theory behind nurture vs nature.Having the same parents and childhood didn't drastically affect their characters. Begging thequestion, was Mary Shelley herself nurture or nature? And how did she use this opinion toformulate the virtues and vices of her characters.To some, Mary Shelley seems to be nurture due to the fact that the monster started outgood and innocent. But because of the way he was treated, he became cold and violent. Toothers, she is nature because Victor and Elizabeth both grew up in the same situation, and yetended up so starkly different. But really both of them prove the other. Victor was brought up in aloving home and yet he is a cruel,