Frankenstein

I really enjoyed reading Frankenstein. The viewpoint of the creature and his reception and interpretations are interesting and compelling to me. In the time that the book was first published the reader’s interpretation and reception of the creature would have been quite negative, and he would have been seen as a monster because of his appearance and actions. However, I found him to be a really relatable and human character because of the journey that he goes on and  his responses to the world around him. He is very curious and intelligent, showcased in his ability to teach himself house to speak, read, and write. The depth and honesty of his emotions are really powerful as well. He wants to learn about the world and himself, and he wants to connect and have relationships with people. He is denied this, however. The torment of Victor that follows, to me, is terrible, yet completely understandable. The creature wants to be acknowledged as another being capable of love and curiosity, but if he is going to be seen as a monster then he will act the part. I feel like that is a very human reaction to the adversity that he is faced with. The isolation of a character, as well as the concept that the creature is a monster are two aspects of gothic literature that create this depth and complexity in the creature as a character. He is shaped by his isolation and by the scorn that he faces from the public, and Victor, at large. It is very interesting then, that theses same concepts can be used to interpret Victor as well. For a modern audience it is very thought provoking to have to ask yourself who the monster really is in this story.