Technology And Impotence In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Today it is typical to walk into a restaurant or a waiting room and see everyone with their eyes focused on a screen. Whether it’s taking pictures on vacation or updating their relationship status, it is common for people to constantly post on their social media. In the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, scientist Victor Frankenstein takes technology to an extreme level when he makes a creature that turns into a monster and comes back to haunt him. Consumed with his work, Victor is cut off from his college and family life. In the end it all blows up in his face. Shelley exaggerates technology by using a literal monster in order to show how monstrous technology can actually become when one is “too” involved in it. With most of people’s time
This is exactly what happens to Victor when he becomes so focused on making the creature rather than being in the real world. He also explains that “this crisis” of technology taking over our lives “leads to a general realization about our technology: that it is us” (Vargish). He argues that humans are at fault for the huge technological advances going on today and that it has gone too far, due to the drive to discover. He also argues that it represents our true aspirations in life. For instance, Vargish shows how Victor abuses technology for his own personal gain as he argues that “he plans to employ his new technology to create a race of dependents who will worship and praise him” (Vargish). This shows that Victor uses technology for what he is truly after-worship and praise. Vargish argues that Victor is more concerned about his pride than making the creature. This behavior is much better represented by the creature rather than Victor, which demonstrates how crossing the line with technology and especially for the sake of pride can lead to big consequences. Due to Victor’s pride, the creature that he regrets creating in the first place, becomes an attention seeking monster reflecting who Victor really is, or as Vargish stated “Frankenstein's monster is Frankenstein; the creation expresses the creator”