Is Man Molded by Society, or Does Society Mold Man?

Is Man Molded by Society, or Does Society Mold Man?

Through Literature, the author is often able to express his or her views about society. During the Gothic era in which Mary Shelley’s wrote her classic novel, Frankenstein, many were fascinated by the unknown and scientific discoveries. She incorporates this, as well as her knowledge of various philosophers to create a novel that upon completion has one questioning is Man molded by society, or rather is it society that shapes Man. Mary Shelley suggest through her literary work, that Man, as symbolized through the monster, is born innately good, but society corrupts and influences him. So in reading Shelley’s novel, one begins to question his or her role in humanity.

What if my child is born deformed, could I still love it or would I wish it were dead? Victor Frankenstein's confronts this question displaying complete failure in parenting. For approximately ( ) months Victor Frankenstein labored on the creation of his "child". Finally on a "dreary night in November he witnesses the "birth". "I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open; it breathed hard, and a convulsive motion agitated its limbs ( ).” Instead of reaching out to his child, Victor rushes out of the room disgusted by the abnormality of his creation. When the creature follows after him, Victor runs away in horror completely abandoning his child.

While creating his child, Victor never considered whether this creature would even want to exist. He also didn't take enough care with the creature's appearance. He could not take the time to make small parts so he created a being of gigantic size. Victor never considered how such a creature would be able to exist with human beings. Unable to accept his creation, Victor abandons his "child" and all parental responsibility. He even wishes that his "child" were dead. "I gnashed my teeth, my eyes became inflamed, and I ardently wished to extinguish that life which I has so thoughtlessly bestowed ( ).”

The heart of the novel is the creature's discussion of his own development.

The creature, himself, realizes that a child that is deprived of a loving family becomes a monster. The creature repeatedly insists that he was born good but compelled by others to do evil. Mary Shelley bases this argument in Rousseau's Emile and Second Discourse. Mary Shelley read Rousseau's Emile in 1816. Rousseau stated that, “God makes all things good; man meddles with them and they become evil." Rousseau specifically attributed moral failings to the lack of a mother's love. Without mothering and a loving education " a man left to himself from birth would be more of a monster that the rest."

Even without the proper nurturing the creature manages to get an education. Mary alludes to Rousseau's theory of the natural man as a noble savage, born free but in chains and corrupted by society. In the battle of nature vs. nurture for development, Mary definitely sides with nurture. It is only later through contact with the DeLacey family, representing society, that the creature develops a consciousness and realizes that he is a societal outcast. He first experiences the physical sensations of light, dark, heat, cold, hunger, and pain. This is his period of infancy where he felt the sensations but had no conscious expression of them. Through time and experience the creature eventually learns to distinguish the various sensations and how to remedy them. He learns to gather food, clothe himself, and acquire shelter. In other words, his sensitive experiences cause him to learn for them and provide for his basic necessities.

The creature obtains a moral and intellectual education through his observation of the DeLacey family, who lived in the cottage adjoining his hovel. The DeLacey's provide the creature with an example of a loving, kind, and virtuous family. They inspire him to do good deeds for others, as seen when he secretly collects firewood for the family. Through the creature's observation of the DeLacey family, the creature is also stimulated intellectually and is introduced to spoken and written language. Not only does the creature learn morality and virtue from the DeLacey family but also acquires a small library, which enlarges his knowledge