Selfish Ambition (Frankenstein) Essays - English-language Films

Selfish Ambition (Frankenstein) Selfish Ambition? The question ?What makes us who we are has perplexed many scholars, scientists, and theorists over the years. This is a question that we still may have not found an answer to. There are theories that people are born ?good?, ?evil?, and as ?blank slates?, but it is hard to prove any of these theories consistently. There have been countless cases of people who have grown up in ?good? homes with loving parents, yet their destiny was to inflict destruction on others. On the other hand, there have been just as many cases of people who grew up on the streets without the guidance of a parental figure, but they chose to make a bad situation into a good one by growing up to do something worthwhile for mankind. For this reason, it is nearly impossible to determine what makes a human being choose the way he/she behaves. Mary Shelley (1797-1851) published a novel in 1818 to voice her opinions about determining personality and the consequences and repercussions of alienation. Shelley uses the ide as of Jean-Jacques Rousseau to make her point. Rousseau proposed the idea that man is essentially good in the beginning of life, but civilization and education can corrupt and warp a human mind and soul. In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus (hereafter referred to as Frankenstein), Victor Frankenstein's creature with human characteristics shows us that people are born with loving, caring, and moral feelings, but the creature demonstrates how the influence of society can change one's outlook of others and life itself by his reactions to adversity at ?birth?, and his actions after being alienated and rejected by humans several times. In the first chapters of the book, Shelley describes a scientist who was obsessed with doing something great for mankind. Victor Frankenstein, an educated man of science, was completely involved with his work, which happened to be the creation of another living being with human qualities. Once Victor's work was finally completed, he realized that he had created a ?monster?, and he was terrified. Mary Shelley, supporting Rousseau's theory, definitely believed that people are born essentially with good intentions and feelings, and she shows this from the first few moments of the creature's life. When Victor was lying terrified in his bed, the creature came in and ?One hand was stretched out? (Shelley 40) towards Victor. Victor, in his petrified state, thought that the creature was trying to detain him, but in fact, the creature was reaching out to Victor as to offer friendship. Shelley continues to show how the creature was a tender, caring being for quite a while. After Victor rejected the affection and friendship offered him by his creation, completely abandoning him, the creature left Victor and went out into the world. He soon discovered that the world would not be a friendly place. Persecution, alienation, and affliction would eventually drive the creature into doing terrible things. Sir Walter Scott, a famous Scottish novelist, said: This monster, who was at first...but a harmless monster, becomes ferocious and malignant, in consequence of finding all his approaches to human society repelled with injurious violence and offensive marks of disgust. (Scott 617) The first person who had seen the creature, other than Victor, ?Shrieked loudly? (Shelley 83) when he looked upon his ugly and massive frame. This was a reaction the creature got used to, and he decided he would be better off to stay out of the paths of humans. When he found the hovel near the cottage he watched over for many months, the creature still was a loving, gentile being, despite the few nasty run-ins with humans. His sincitivity showed when he marveled at nature, and cried at some of the depressing stories from ancient civilizations. His tender and caring heart showed when he looked over the family, gathered firewood for them, and cleared snow from the path for them during the winter months.. He had educated himself through this time, and he was trying to get up the courage to show himself to the family that he loved. All of the creature's actions throughout the time watching over the De Lacy's shows his pure heart and good intentions. We are