Frankenstein and Alienation Essay Example

highlights how society often judges individuals by their visual characteristics, thereby leading to prejudice and discrimination.

Frankenstein abandons his monster, leaving him without nurture or love, causing severe effects on the monster's ability to socialize and form relationships. Research suggests that the early years of life are crucial for learning how to form bonds with others. Instances of neglected social interaction lead to low IQ and unhealthy relationships. Feral children are prime examples of individuals raised by animals, with behaviors such as lapping water and insensitivity to pain resulting from the absence of social interaction. This illustrates that socialization is crucial in shaping our behavior.

Abandonment and isolation have a significant impact on the development of healthy social behavior, as seen in institutionalized children. Research has shown that neglected children struggle to socialize and integrate into society, lacking the ability to form relationships and cooperation with others (Henslin 72). The monster initially resembled a feral child due to his lack of human guidance and education. However, he acquired knowledge about human families and their interactions from the cottagers.

Mary Shelley imbued the daemon with a superior intellect, surpassing that of most men, which allowed him to understand and acknowledge the universal need for acceptance. The Monster recognizes, through Frankenstein's notes, that he has been abandoned and experiences emotions akin to the sense of rejection felt by human children from parents, friends, or society. Humans are influenced by both negative and positive experiences and naturally crave acceptance. The emotional responses that arise from these experiences shape our self-perception. When rejection occurs, it's typical to feel negative emotions; however, those fortunate enough to have familial, close friendship,

or professional support can manage rejection with greater ease.

Although challenging, receiving emotional support from loved ones can alleviate the pain of feeling rejected by others. However, when no assistance is available in such situations, negative emotions can escalate and lead to anger and a desire for revenge. This was the case for Frankenstein's creature when he tried to establish a connection with the De Lacy household. Coming from a background of abandonment, he was acutely aware of his plight as an unloved being.

The monster expresses his sense of isolation and abandonment, stating that he has no friends or relatives (Shelley 3), and recognizing that he is entirely alone. He attributes this lonely existence to his creator's abandonment. In addition, the rejection he faces due to his appearance from the cottagers drives him to despair. As he contemplates their potential rejection of him, he states that he would be a perpetual outcast (Shelley 93), and after being rejected, he severs any remaining ties to humanity. This causes him to become consumed with anger and leads him to focus on seeking revenge against mankind, particularly his creator.

The start of his resolve to alleviate his anguish is demonstrated by his destructive actions of setting fire to the cottage and tearing down everything around him. Ultimately, he is left entirely isolated. This serves as a prime illustration of the fact that the daemon receives no comfort or reassurance from anyone, and is forced to confront his pain alone. Unfortunately, this situation is also all too common in reality, where children who are left without support may resort to violent means and seek vengeance upon society.

The events of

April 20, 1999 at Columbine High School in Colorado serve as a prime example of the consequences that can result from feelings of rage due to societal rejection and alienation. Despite their active participation in social activities, two students who were not accepted by their peers turned to violence against fellow high school students. The boys documented their motivations in journals and on websites, revealing their sense of alienation through statements such as "I swear like I’m an outcast and everyone is conspiring against me" (Cullen). The day of the shooting, both boys wore shirts reflecting their beliefs: one bore the phrase "natural selection" while the other displayed "wrath" (history1900s).

On the day of the killings, the boys wore T-shirts with the website name (about.com) on them. It is unfortunate that their only way to express their thoughts was through videos and websites, as they appeared to lack a mentor. The materials they used were left in their room, suggesting that their parents rarely checked on them. Had the parents found these materials, they could have addressed the issue of their pent-up feelings. Despite not being abandoned, the boys likely believed that no one could help with their anger issues.

It could be argued that the boys had reached a state beyond the effectiveness of social intervention. They had faced so much rejection that attempting to intervene would be pointless. Often, when people feel rage due to being ostracized and rejected, it only leads to further isolation. It's impossible to combat negativity with negativity or violence with violence.

Both the daemon and Frankenstein are intertwined in a lethal outcome. As a result of the daemon's need for

revenge against Frankenstein, the latter suffers from physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion. Frankenstein is now without any living family members, which causes him great distress since he is responsible for their demise.

The monster's state of alienation was ultimately caused by its creator's decision to give it hideous features, setting it up for automatic rejection by society, which tends to reject any form of physical ugliness. Adding insult to injury, the creator, who was responsible for the monster's well-being, turned on it when it needed acceptance.

Due to his own self-centeredness, the monster directed his fury towards humanity and obliterated all members of Frankenstein's family. Consequently, Frankenstein experiences a sense of seclusion. Witnessing the death of his sole link to society only amplifies the daemon's desolation, as Frankenstein was his sole connection to existence, which has now vanished.

Once again, the prevalent sentiment is one of being cut off from society. The creature realizes that without a soul to interact with, there is no reason to continue living. Moreover, he understands that no other person will ever accept him, which leads to his decision to take his own life. This mirrors the human tendency to embrace those who are the strongest, smartest, and most beautiful. At some point in life, everyone experiences this feeling. However, throughout our lives, we encounter at least one person with whom socialization is possible.

Considering a scenario where rejection is present since the earliest memory and persists throughout life, it becomes difficult to find a solution to cure the situation. Unfortunately, experiencing isolation can make individuals feel disconnected from society, and it becomes almost impossible to change their perception. Society's limitations

include not being able to prevent murders or children acting out due to rejection. However, the occurrences can serve as lessons for everyone, and society can try to educate people in similar situations. Frankenstein highlights themes of isolation, rejection, and abandonment, providing an opportunity for learning and growth.