The English Language Free Essay Example

You may wish to consider the narrative form and structure. ” Frankenstein is a novel written by Mary Shelley, set in the end of the 18th century. It tells the tale of a young scientist, Victor Frankenstein, who learns how to create life and creates a being in the likeness of a man, but larger than average and more powerful. When the Monster was given life, his creator realises how hideously ugly it is and therefore rejects it, this also leads ordinary people to be scared of the Monster and mistreat it.

Mary Shelley employs many innovative techniques to invoke feelings of sympathy towards the Monster, including the structure, context, language, and also imagery. We are first introduced to the Monster by the main narrator, Robert Walton, who on seeing the Monster in the North Pole records it in a letter to his sister. ‘.. Apparently of gigantic stature, sat in the sledge and guided the dogs. ‘ At first the reader is presented an un-biased viewing of the Monster by Robert Walton, an explorer, who has not seen the monster due to the mist.

He describes him as ‘A being which had the shape of a man’ which shows how he thinks he is a normal human being. Mary Shelley presents the monster as an evil force through-out the first few chapters. Frankenstein, after many years of cutting himself off from his friends and family, finally discovers a way to give life to dead objects. He brings the monster to life ‘on a dreary night of November’ in early hours of the morning which could be referred to as the witching hours which is a term for when creatures such as demons, ghosts and black magic are supposedly most effective.

Frankenstein’s dreams of the monster were un-true as he was immediately disgusted by it; he then abandons his creation, hoping it will die of neglect. Mary Shelley uses techniques such as pathetic fallacy to show that bringing the Monster to life was in fact, a bad thing to do. Frankenstein contradicts his self as he says ‘His limbs were in proportion, and I had selected his features as Beautiful. Beautiful! Great God’ This shows how Frankenstein’s feelings of the monster have changed because of his appearance, and what he thought before as beautiful now seems horrifying.

Gothic Imagery is used as Frankenstein describes his creation, ‘His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was a lustrous black, and flowing; his teeth of pearly whiteness. His shrivelled complexion and straight black lips’ It also creates a contrast between beauty and horror; it describes his hair as ‘a lustrous black’ and his teeth ‘of a pearly whiteness’ which would contrast with the horror of ‘yellow skin’ and ‘shrivelled complexion.

‘ Death imagery is also presented as Frankenstein has a dream about Elizabeth becoming his dead mother. ‘As I imprinted the first kiss on her lips, they became livid with the hue of death’ this shows that although Frankenstein has just created life he thinks of death. Also through-out the beginning chapters the creation is dehumanised as Frankenstein refers to him as ‘the wretch’, ‘the miserable monster’ and ‘the demonical corpse.

‘ This shows that the creation is not treated as a human, which leads to him being mistreated and continuously rejected through-out the novel. The creature is presented as a motherless child by Mary Shelley, at the beginning of his life he is loving and gentle, childlike in his curiosity and experiences, but after several harsh encounters with humans, he becomes bitter and overwhelmed with anger and hatred. The Monster, abandoned by his creator, goes through a childhood phase alone.

Although his appearance suggests that he is a middle aged man, he still doesn’t understand the concepts of life. The Monster firstly beings to differentiate between his senses, unable to solve the mystery source of light and darkness when he blinked and discovering as to why the warmth of a fire was comforting yet the flames caused pain. ‘I found a fire which had been left by some wandering beggars, and was overcome with delight at the warmth I experienced from it. In my joy I thrust my hand into the live embers, but quickly drew it out again with a cry of pain.

‘ He independently learnt the utility of a fire and how to feed and keep from thirst, although he was inflicted by pain before learning the dangers of a fire; this creates sympathy as the monster has an independent, desolated, lonely childhood unlike Frankenstein and the reader. The monster struggled to find food within the forest as it became scarce; this also creates sympathetic feelings towards the monster as he spends ‘the whole day searching in vain for a few acorns to assuage the pangs of hunger.

‘ He also doesn’t know how to read or write, he didn’t know what he looked like until he saw the reflection of himself in the water. After seeing his appearance, he began to understand why people look at him with hatred. ‘But how was I terrified when I viewed myself in a transparent pool! I was filled with the bitterest sensations of despondence and mortification. ‘ The childhood of the monster also presents him as being innocent because he is alone and has to learn by nature, this also portrays him as vulnerable.

The monster is first faced with rejection when he enters a hut for shelter a man ‘turned on hearing a noise; and, perceiving me, shrieked loudly, and, quitting the hut, ran across the fields. ‘ The Monster is only surprised and is still intrigued by the appearance of the Hut; this shows his innocent and child-like mind. The Monster could be seen as a Romantic Hero, as he has been rejected by society and has numerous characteristics of a romantic hero including his isolation, and self-criticism.

The Romantic era was a time period in the 18th century, and the novel Frankenstein being published in 1818 has clear references to it. The Creature begins to observe a family called the De Laceys whilst in hiding in their shed, he sometimes ‘stole a part of their store for his own consumption’ but on finding out that this inflicted pain upon the family he stopped and satisfied himself with berries, nuts and roots. The creature does not purposely inflict pain and tries to prevent it; this shows how he puts others in front of himself and his kindness.

The Monster realises the family suffers from poverty in a severe degree and endeavours to help them, which creates further sympathy as the Monster does not receive any acknowledgement. ‘I discovered also another means through which I was enabled to assist their labours. I found that the youth spent a great part of each day in collecting wood for the family fire, and during the night I often took his tools, the use of which I quickly discovered, and brought home firing sufficient for the consumption of several days.

‘ The monster also begins to advance in his knowledge of the English Language as well as the general happenings of life such as the bringing up of children and the cares of the mothers and fathers, which he does not have. ‘But where were my friends and relations? No father had watched my infant days; no mother had blessed me with smiles. ‘ Mary Shelley creates sympathy here as the Monster acquires the fact that ordinary humans are often cared for and nurtured, he establishes the differences between himself and humans.

He learns the language by listening to conversations between the cottagers and also finds books and articles; he is extremely keen for knowledge and appreciates both the science of letters and the language. This displays how appreciative he is compared to the majority of ordinary human beings. The Monster begins to seek an opportunity to meet the De Lacey’s, as the oldest member of the family is alone and blind he thought it as an ‘excellent opportunity.

‘ The Monster chose the old man rather than any other member of the family due to his disabled ability, he was blind he is unable to see the Creature’s face; this, the monster had figured to be the reason for his misery. The Monster introduces himself as ‘a traveller in want of a little rest,’ the man greets him and allows him in. There was silence which the Creation described as ‘precious’ although he remained irresolute, a conversation begins in which the Monster felt appropriate to explain the position he was in.