Why Is Knowledge Important In Frankenstein

Knowledge is power. It has the potential to completely destroy which leads to having many severe consequences. Learning new things and finding interesting discoveries does not always end well especially when there is no one to share with. In Mary Shelley’s gothic novel, Frankenstein, knowledge helps the creature awaken to the circumstances of his alienation, developing a gradual internal rage causing his impulsive behavior towards others, displaying Shelley’s central idea of knowledge being a dark and powerful force, negatively impacting one’s self.
When the creature reads, “Sorrows of Werter”, it helps him grasp his sentimental emotions while emphasizing the love and care he is deprived of, exhibiting how as the growth of understanding rises, happiness within the creature decreases influencing hasty actions. The creature learns and gains a better understands new and different emotions …show more content…
I sympathized with, and partly understood them, but I was unformed in mind; I was dependent on none, and related to none” (Shelley 107). In society, others have each other to lean on, unlike the creature. Being unaccepted by society and others causes damage to his mental health since he is desperate to have company to fulfill his loneliness. He craves the same attention and wants the opportunity to love and share with others, but the book teaches him that his appearance acts as a barrier in which he is unable to tear down. This creates confusion within the creature and is determined to find the reasonings. But, the more knowledge the creature gain, the further away he is getting from his answers, giving him the opposite effect of happiness. The creature was filled with “ecstasy” and “awe” as he read the books, but grief was dominant due to the realization that he does not have the potential to ever have a genuine friend or someone to love. Coming to this conclusion impacts him in a negative way, creating symptoms of depression. The creature continues