Frankenstein
Friendship/Compassion
Jon and Stevie
Lesson on Friendship
In the book Frankenstein Mary Shelley expresses through the monster that everyone needs friends. From the time that Victor Creates the monster and the time the monster dies all he wanted was someone to not be scared or terrified of him. She shows the readers that by having the monster ask for a companion and shows him learning how to feel his emotions. He tries to express them several times to different people and they always push him away and beat him up. The only one that can understand him is Victor and he doesn't want to have anything to do with him, as soon as he is brought to life.
Quotes
Victor is saying that he had a good childhood. It connects to the lesson because he is saying that compassion is what made him who he is today and without it he would not be doing what he is doing.
“Of my creation and creator I was absolutely ignorant, but I knew that I possessed no money, no friends, no kind of property. I was, besides, endued with a figure hideously deformed and loathsome; I was not even of the same nature as man.” - (Chapter 13)
The monster is saying that he knows that he has no money, no friends, and no kind of social class because he monster that does not resemble man. this connects because he is saying that without those things he is nothing and that you need those to have a happy life.
"But where were my friends and relations? No father had watched my infant days, no mother had blessed me with smiles and caresses; or if they had, all my past life was now a blot, a blind vacancy in which I distinguished nothing. From my earliest remembrance I had been as I then was in height and proportion. I had never yet seen a being resembling me or who claimed any intercourse with me.” - (Chapter 13)
- Frankenstein's creation is speaking with Victor in this quote on his creation. He is saying how he was born with no family or any relations that could watch him and raise him. He is saying that he has had nobody his whole life and he has yet to meet someone like him who will accept him.
"'I am alone and miserable: man will not associate with me; but one as deformed and horrible as myself would not deny herself to me. My companion must be of the same species and have the same defects. This being you must create.'" - (Chapter 16)
- In this quote, the monster is speaking with Victor on how alone and miserable he is because of his rejection from society. Because of his isolation he is seeking a companion who is similar to the creature and one who would not reject him for his appearances.
“This was then the reward of my benevolence! I had saved a human being from destruction, and as a recompense I now writhed under the miserable pain of a wound which shattered the flesh and bone. The feelings of kindness and gentleness which I had entertained but a few moments before gave place to hellish rage and gnashing of teeth. Inflamed by pain, I vowed eternal hatred and vengeance to all mankind. -(Chapter 16)
- The creature is speaking to Victor here about when he lost all hope for friendship with mankind. The creature is saying that when he tried to be friendly and nice to others he was met with hate and pain. Because of this, he vows to forever seek revenge and to hate mankind forever, destroying any chance he has at companionship.
"You are in the wrong," replied the fiend; "and instead of threatening, I am content to reason with you. I am malicious because I am miserable. Am I not shunned and hated by all mankind? You, my creator, would tear me to pieces and triumph; remember that, and tell me why I should pity man more than he pities me? You would not call it murder if you could precipitate me into one of those ice-rifts and destroy my frame, the work of your own hands. Shall I respect man when he condemns me? Let him live with me in the interchange of kindness, and instead of injury I would bestow every benefit upon him with tears of gratitude at his acceptance. But that cannot be; the human senses are insurmountable barriers to our union. Yet mine shall not be the submission of abject slavery. I will revenge my injuries; if I cannot inspire love, I will cause fear, and chiefly towards you my archenemy, because my creator, do I swear inextinguishable hatred. Have a care; I will work at your destruction, nor finish until I desolate your heart, so that you shall curse the hour of your birth." - (Chapter 17)
- Once again, the monster is speaking to his creator about his miserable existence. He is saying the cause of his anger and hate is from his loneliness and rejection by others. The creature makes the point on how people judge people based on the shallow senses of sight and choosing to be nice to people who they think look nice.