Nature Vs. Nurture In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
American author, Stephen R. Covey once articulated "I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions." Covey's inspiration for saying this profound statement is a question that numerous people often ask themselves: Is a person, a product of who they are at the beginning of life, or who they develop into throughout life? In the gothic novel, Frankenstein, this question reflects in the form of nature versus nurture. This narrative sees through the eyes of three different individuals, Robert Walton, Victor Frankenstein, and Frankenstein's hideous creation. Driven by his ambition for knowledge, Victor creates life which leads to the outcome of death for several others, and consequently himself as well. In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein,
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She plants pieces throughout the story of whether a someone is crafted my their nature or their nurture. This can be seen throughout the characters. When Victor is growing up he feels his parents and his relationship is “‘their child, the innocent and helpless creature…whose future lot it was in their hands to direct to happiness or misery’” (Shelley 16). A child’s future is determined by their experiences as Shelley explains in this quote. Both sensitive and cautious, when the creature thinks of how the De Lacey family could protect him he thinks of the fable, “It was as the ass and the lap-dog; yet surely the gentle ass…deserved better treatment than blows and execration” (Shelley 81). The creature develops an understanding of his intentions and his actions and hopes for the best when he has received the execration he feared of. Near the end of the novel, the creature overhears the De Lacey’s talking and he thinks, “‘when I reflected that they had spurned and deserted me, anger returned, a rage of anger’” (Shelley 99). The creatures experience with the family changed from positive protectors to abandoners, showing another example of characters being influenced by their experiences. When the creature remembers his first thoughts he confesses to Victor “‘I felt cold…and half frightened…finding myself so desolate’” (Shelley 71). This quote shows the creatures first experience was abandonment, he was not born alone he was forced to be
She plants pieces throughout the story of whether a someone is crafted my their nature or their nurture. This can be seen throughout the characters. When Victor is growing up he feels his parents and his relationship is “‘their child, the innocent and helpless creature…whose future lot it was in their hands to direct to happiness or misery’” (Shelley 16). A child’s future is determined by their experiences as Shelley explains in this quote. Both sensitive and cautious, when the creature thinks of how the De Lacey family could protect him he thinks of the fable, “It was as the ass and the lap-dog; yet surely the gentle ass…deserved better treatment than blows and execration” (Shelley 81). The creature develops an understanding of his intentions and his actions and hopes for the best when he has received the execration he feared of. Near the end of the novel, the creature overhears the De Lacey’s talking and he thinks, “‘when I reflected that they had spurned and deserted me, anger returned, a rage of anger’” (Shelley 99). The creatures experience with the family changed from positive protectors to abandoners, showing another example of characters being influenced by their experiences. When the creature remembers his first thoughts he confesses to Victor “‘I felt cold…and half frightened…finding myself so desolate’” (Shelley 71). This quote shows the creatures first experience was abandonment, he was not born alone he was forced to be