Childhood Trauma In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Family and support are imperative in childhood development, as they help young people develop interactive skills, which determine how well they communicate later on. However, childhood trauma and a lack of affection can halt positive growth, which Ma in Room by Emma Donoghue, and Victor in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein experience. What further conflicts developing minds is an overlapping of roles in a family environment, where one member will assume multiple responsibilities at once. Romantic partners who assume parental roles in Ma’s and Victor’s relationships cause them to isolate themselves from their children, negatively impacting that emotional state later on. Ma endures a physically and emotionally draining relationship with Old Nick, forcing her to grow numb to pain, and therefore numb to Jack. Old Nick regularly enters Ma and Jack’s room at night, where he forces Ma to adhere to his sexual desires. However, Jack wakes Old Nick up one night, who then strangles and yells at Ma over her parenting skills. She then internalizes her pain and falls asleep, neglecting Jack and his emotional needs (23). Old Nick …show more content…
Once free, Jack expresses a strong desire to leave his new world and return to room, which was safe and secure. Although he experienced immense pain in captivity, he was immune to it because that situation was all he knew (Room). Since Ma did not have strong parenting skills, she was unable to explain anything outside of room until she grew a burning desire for freedom. Her inability to communicate with Jack confuses him, and he proves unprepared for a world outside of room (Phelan, 74). Jack’s desire to return to his home appears disturbing, and Ma remains passive towards her son once she escapes everything from before. Ma’s failure to connect with Jack, and Victor’s inability to relate to his creation sends each child into a state of turmoil later