James Randall
10/15/14
Prof. Brinegar - ENGL 215
Short Response #2
Between the two of them, both of the characters in the works selected—Victor Frankenstein’s creature in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and a reinterpreted Grendel from John Gardner’s Grendel—are physical, social, and philosophical outcasts of the people whom they frighten. Observing human behavior from afar and feeling kinship with them, they both desire human contact. However, the humans prove unwelcoming to the monster’s imposing physical attributes and drive both away by force. When shunned, the two monsters recognize themselves as undesirable to the human communities they come into contact with due to their supposedly fiendish character, and in that rejection lash out at those who fail to help them find fulfilment. …show more content…
He admires Agatha and Felix as "superior beings" (Chapter 12, p. 17); he of "amiable and lovely creatures" providing him companionship (Chapter 15, p. 11); he characterizes himself as someone with "good dispositions," while talking to De Lacey tells him that "my life has been hitherto harmless and in some degree beneficial" (Chapter 15, p. 25); and in using "extreme labour" is able to rescue a young girl from drowning (Chapter 16, p. 141). However, despite what he actually does, the creature’s behavior is always misinterpreted. When interrupted in the cottage, Felix and Agatha believe that he’s attempting to kill their father; the public assumes he's attempted to murder the girl rather than save her; Victor’s brother William believes that the monster’s trying to kill him. Unable to stand it any longer, when accused of the girl’s attempted murder, the creature has a
10/15/14
Prof. Brinegar - ENGL 215
Short Response #2
Between the two of them, both of the characters in the works selected—Victor Frankenstein’s creature in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and a reinterpreted Grendel from John Gardner’s Grendel—are physical, social, and philosophical outcasts of the people whom they frighten. Observing human behavior from afar and feeling kinship with them, they both desire human contact. However, the humans prove unwelcoming to the monster’s imposing physical attributes and drive both away by force. When shunned, the two monsters recognize themselves as undesirable to the human communities they come into contact with due to their supposedly fiendish character, and in that rejection lash out at those who fail to help them find fulfilment. …show more content…
He admires Agatha and Felix as "superior beings" (Chapter 12, p. 17); he of "amiable and lovely creatures" providing him companionship (Chapter 15, p. 11); he characterizes himself as someone with "good dispositions," while talking to De Lacey tells him that "my life has been hitherto harmless and in some degree beneficial" (Chapter 15, p. 25); and in using "extreme labour" is able to rescue a young girl from drowning (Chapter 16, p. 141). However, despite what he actually does, the creature’s behavior is always misinterpreted. When interrupted in the cottage, Felix and Agatha believe that he’s attempting to kill their father; the public assumes he's attempted to murder the girl rather than save her; Victor’s brother William believes that the monster’s trying to kill him. Unable to stand it any longer, when accused of the girl’s attempted murder, the creature has a