Frankenstein (6 points)

 Blog Post for 9-7-20 Class:

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is the iconic story of Dr. Frankenstein’s reanimation of life. The story has been told around the world and the novel is not the only way the story has been told. The story was converted into a film adaption numerous times. Other films and books have taken inspiration from Frankenstein.

The themes presented in the novel can be seen across countless pieces of literature and media. Many science fiction stories revolve around humans creating something that they end up disliking in some way. These themes are evident, whether it be a creature, monster, or robot story. The lifeforms created by the humans simply want to feel what humans feel but in many of these stories, the things created by the humans become the antagonists.

The themes found in Frankenstein were important then and they are just as meaningful today. Although the story is very deep and complex, there is one very clear point made. The monster simply wants to be loved. When he is not given this, problems begin to arise. This can be applied to any human. Not much good comes from situations without love and compassion.

Frankenstein is rightfully one of the most well-known science fiction horror stories. The story earns this position because it was one of the first novels in the genre. The story is clearly gothic and you can only imagine a gloomy setting because of Shelley’s vivid descriptions. The story is very tragic, adding to the unsettling mood. The story is not a happy one, but it is strangely accurate to what you could imagine would happen if it came about in real life. The tone is dark and even though it is a horror story, its purposes are far greater.

Before reading the book, I always thought Frankenstein was the monster. This raises many interesting points that are also brought up in the book. Do some think Frankenstein is the monster because the monster is the true protagonist of the story? Who really is the monster?

Dr. Frankenstein?

The monster?

Mary Shelley?

Us?

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