Nature vs. Nurture via Frankenstein One’s true nature versus nurture upbringing has been a question long pondered before Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. A person is defined by nature and nurture. One does not outweigh the other. Many variables exist in the nature vs nurture debate. Human beings are not born evil any more than they can be bred to perform evil. The debate for either side may agree that something from both must be present. A predisposed pension for evil can be relevent, however something in nurture or lack of nurture may tilt the scales to allow a person to act on evil. In Shelly’s Frankenstien, we see that both push the creature along his path of evil, created in evil plus lack of nurture, form the creature’s need to destroy
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He exclaims in Chapter 5, “I beheld the wretch-the miserable monster whom I had created.”(5.1) In the creature’s first moments of life, Victor calls him a monster. While the creature is not directly from Victor’s gene pool, he is still his science experiment or concoction. In this way, the creature’s nature is born of his creator in evil rather than good. Victor uses pieces of corpses to fashion something grotesque rather than finding a more suitable vessel for his project. While the very nature of the creature seems evil, he has not been exposed to anything in order to create a choice of good or evil. The creature is left to his own devices after Victor runs away from him in disgust. This rejection imprints on the creature as his first contact with humanity. He is rejected again by the townspeople who run him out of town by attacking him and screaming. His nurture, or lack of nurture, begins to mold his mind and his …show more content…
Nurture experts widely accept that “heredity and the environment do not act independently.” Saul McLeod notes that it is “impossible to separate the two influences.” It seems more likely that in order for a person to act on feelings of evil from a nature standpoint, there must be something lacking in nurture in order to carry out such heinous crimes. The creature learns proper behavior from watching society but choses murder to act his revenge on his creator. He knows he is doing evil, but the anger and betrayal of his maker feeds his rage. The creature meets Victor’s brother William and cannot control himself when he learns the boy’s name. “Frankenstein! You belong to my enemy – tom him towards whom I have sworn eternal revenge: you shall be my first victim”, he exclaims. (16.30) The creature is unhappy and rejected by all. He sets out to make sure Victor knows first- hand how this miserable he feels. When Victor breaks him promise of creating a mate for the creature, he can no longer contain himself. Filled with rage and resentment he murders Victor’s best friend and his new wife since he is not able to have any of those things
He exclaims in Chapter 5, “I beheld the wretch-the miserable monster whom I had created.”(5.1) In the creature’s first moments of life, Victor calls him a monster. While the creature is not directly from Victor’s gene pool, he is still his science experiment or concoction. In this way, the creature’s nature is born of his creator in evil rather than good. Victor uses pieces of corpses to fashion something grotesque rather than finding a more suitable vessel for his project. While the very nature of the creature seems evil, he has not been exposed to anything in order to create a choice of good or evil. The creature is left to his own devices after Victor runs away from him in disgust. This rejection imprints on the creature as his first contact with humanity. He is rejected again by the townspeople who run him out of town by attacking him and screaming. His nurture, or lack of nurture, begins to mold his mind and his …show more content…
Nurture experts widely accept that “heredity and the environment do not act independently.” Saul McLeod notes that it is “impossible to separate the two influences.” It seems more likely that in order for a person to act on feelings of evil from a nature standpoint, there must be something lacking in nurture in order to carry out such heinous crimes. The creature learns proper behavior from watching society but choses murder to act his revenge on his creator. He knows he is doing evil, but the anger and betrayal of his maker feeds his rage. The creature meets Victor’s brother William and cannot control himself when he learns the boy’s name. “Frankenstein! You belong to my enemy – tom him towards whom I have sworn eternal revenge: you shall be my first victim”, he exclaims. (16.30) The creature is unhappy and rejected by all. He sets out to make sure Victor knows first- hand how this miserable he feels. When Victor breaks him promise of creating a mate for the creature, he can no longer contain himself. Filled with rage and resentment he murders Victor’s best friend and his new wife since he is not able to have any of those things