Throughout life, positive and negative aspects of nature are expressed in a variety of ways. However, the tension between these two ideas is able to cause destruction and deprivation if overexpressed. In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, both of these traits are conveyed through the characters of Dr. Victor Frankenstein and the artificial life that he creates. Both characters express a determined personality type and crave acceptance but convey it in various ways which emphasizes Shelley’s true opinion of human nature: how you are raised affects how you react in the future.
Victor is an egotistical and ambitious scientist who is obsessed with life and how it’s created. While the strive and determination for knowledge can be seen as a good thing, overemphasizing the desire for such knowledge can turn into obsession, and even addiction, as it did in Victor’s case. He claims he “had worked hard for nearly two years, for the sole purpose of suffusing life into an inanimate body. For this, [he] had deprived [him]self of rest and health” (35). The effort Victor put into his experiment “far exceed[s] moderation” and shows that he’s willing to destroy his own body for the success of his alternative life (35). Despite the fact that being determined and tenacious is …show more content…
Experiences made throughout a person’s life is what makes each person different and the reason some people react differently than others. This theory is conveyed through Shelley’s portrayal of Victor’s obsessive determination as well as the creature’s desire to be relatable which can be seen as either positive or negative depending on the circumstance and the motive. These twin impulses are apparent and important to acknowledge because if overexpressed, the positives could turn to negatives like it did for both Frankenstein and his
Victor is an egotistical and ambitious scientist who is obsessed with life and how it’s created. While the strive and determination for knowledge can be seen as a good thing, overemphasizing the desire for such knowledge can turn into obsession, and even addiction, as it did in Victor’s case. He claims he “had worked hard for nearly two years, for the sole purpose of suffusing life into an inanimate body. For this, [he] had deprived [him]self of rest and health” (35). The effort Victor put into his experiment “far exceed[s] moderation” and shows that he’s willing to destroy his own body for the success of his alternative life (35). Despite the fact that being determined and tenacious is …show more content…
Experiences made throughout a person’s life is what makes each person different and the reason some people react differently than others. This theory is conveyed through Shelley’s portrayal of Victor’s obsessive determination as well as the creature’s desire to be relatable which can be seen as either positive or negative depending on the circumstance and the motive. These twin impulses are apparent and important to acknowledge because if overexpressed, the positives could turn to negatives like it did for both Frankenstein and his