Comparing Frankenstein And Lord Of The Flies

Characterization is Key Literature is nothing without well-thought-out characters. The characters of a literary piece are not only essential in making the story make sense, but are also effective catalysts for proving points surrounding the piece’s themes and motifs. Strong characterization adds fluidity between the characters and the themes in stories. As a result of this characterization, the well-developed characters give depth and definition to literary works, strengthening both the theme and the overall work. Looking at the works read during the year, one may say that strong characterization is one of the most skilfully and uniquely used literary devices that made the works both more connected to the themes and more captivating to read, especially Frankenstein and Lord of the Flies. Mary …show more content…
When Shelley provided a short description of William, Viktor Frankenstein’s (the main character’s) younger brother, she gave the little boy the soft features of innocence and purity, giving him “sweet laughing blue eyes, dark eyelashes, and curling hair” (Shelley 71). By giving the little boy such cute attributes, Shelley causes the reader to have a small emotional attachment to him. This tactic allows for Shelley to manipulate the reader’s feelings and make he/she see the reality of a certain circumstance. When reading Viktor Frankenstein’s father’s letter to Viktor informing him of William’s death, the reader may have felt sad or angry since he/she was emotionally attached to him. Death of the “that sweet child, whose smiles delighted and warmed my heart” (77) was both sad and horrible. Due to the emotional appeal, the readers may feel angry at Frankenstein’s creature for ending an innocent person’s life. By characterizing William as innocent and pure, Shelley was able to make most readers upset and hurt when Frankenstein’s monster kills him.