Many people form a relationship with the people that raised them because they are the ones who teach them their values. In Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein, the unhealthy relationship between Victor and his creation highlights the importance of a healthy parent-child relationship. Despite all of the time and effort put into making the creature, Victor seems to have a deeply-rooted aversion to his monster from the moment he brings it to life. Instead of taking the time to get to know the creature, Victor judges him by his appearance rather than his actions, instilling hatred in his creature as a result. Not only is Victor prejudiced towards his creature, he also does not follow the good example of his parents and lacks a sense of personal responsibility
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At first, when the creature asks him, Frankenstein feels a responsibility as the creator to give his creation “all the portion of happiness that it was in [his] power to bestow” and agrees to make a companion (157-158). This original agreement may seem like an act of kindness, but in reality, it is extremely cruel because it gives the creature false hope. Later, while working on the second creature, Frankenstein decides that it is too risky to make the monster a mate and destroys “the creature on whose future existence [the monster] depended for happiness” (Shelley 180). Although Victor’s decision was a logical one, the fact that he destroys the creature’s dreams directly in front of him with no explanation is another display of cruelty. The monster, full of rage, warns Frankenstein that he, the monster’s “tyrant and tormentor, shall curse the sun that gazes on [his] misery” and eventually removes any bit of happiness left from his creator’s life (Shelley 182). He vows revenge on the broken promise because he believes that it is unfair for Frankenstein to be happy while he is left alone forever. Despite Frankenstein’s many other failures, this betrayal is what completely destroys any relationship that was left between creator and creation because it is such a violation of
At first, when the creature asks him, Frankenstein feels a responsibility as the creator to give his creation “all the portion of happiness that it was in [his] power to bestow” and agrees to make a companion (157-158). This original agreement may seem like an act of kindness, but in reality, it is extremely cruel because it gives the creature false hope. Later, while working on the second creature, Frankenstein decides that it is too risky to make the monster a mate and destroys “the creature on whose future existence [the monster] depended for happiness” (Shelley 180). Although Victor’s decision was a logical one, the fact that he destroys the creature’s dreams directly in front of him with no explanation is another display of cruelty. The monster, full of rage, warns Frankenstein that he, the monster’s “tyrant and tormentor, shall curse the sun that gazes on [his] misery” and eventually removes any bit of happiness left from his creator’s life (Shelley 182). He vows revenge on the broken promise because he believes that it is unfair for Frankenstein to be happy while he is left alone forever. Despite Frankenstein’s many other failures, this betrayal is what completely destroys any relationship that was left between creator and creation because it is such a violation of