FRANKENSTEIN The king crab of “the destruction of innocence” By Gregory Alexander O’Neill, Alexandria Reid Felder, Adamson Michael Bucci, and Bradley Thomas Hodgkins

DESTRUCTION OF INNOCENCE  At the beginning of the book, Robert Walton’s letters are filled with naivety; “There, Margaret, the sun is forever visible; its broad disk just skirting the horizon, and differing a perpetual splendor. (pg. 11, Barnes & Noble Classics)  But as the letters continue, after he has spoken with Frankenstein, Walton has fully embraced a darker and realistic view of life, “My beloved sister, I write to you encompassed by peril and ignorant whether I am ever doomed to see again dear England, and the dearer friend that inhabit it. I am surrounded by mountains of ice which admit of no escape and threaten every moment to crush my vessel.” (pg 209, B&N Classics)

DESTRUCTION OF INNOCENCE  “His limbs were in proportion, and I had selected his features as beautiful. Beautiful!—Great God! His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was of illustrious black, and flowing;[…] but the luxuriance only formed a more horrid contrast…” (pg. 55, B&N Classics)  Here is the point when Frankenstein realizes that he has created an abomination, and he immediately is disgusted by what he has done.  Up to this point he has zealously pursued his goal of reanimating the dead, but all of his former optimistic enthusiasm is, at this moment, completely and utterly destroyed. And that’s the way the cookie crumbles!

DESTRUCTION OF INNOCENCE  The Creature destroys the innocence of others by taking their lives.  He also loses his childlike innocence by killing William, a child. “I, too, can create desolation; my enemy is not invulnerable: this death will carry despair to him, and a thousand other miseries shall torment and destroy him.” (pg , B&N Classics)  The above quotation is simply the most badass thing in the whole book.  Frankenstein loses his innocence as a child when he discovers his feelings for Elizabeth…his cousin.

UNVEILING THE TRUTH & ITS CONSEQUENCES  “Thus my prophetic soul, as, torn by remorse, horror, and despair, I beheld those I loved spend vain sorrow upon the graves of William and Justine, the first hapless victims to my unhallowed arts.” (pg. 87, B&N Classics)  In this passage, Frankenstein realizes the dire consequences of his actions. Before this, there were no tangible repercussions that Frankenstein had experienced due to his creation of the monster.  He now directly feels the monster’s misguided attempts at establishing himself as human.  Shelley word choice, “my prophetic soul”, alludes to Hamlet’s realization of the truth and its consequences revolving around the actions of King Claudius. This directly relates to Victor Frankenstein’s realization that the monster is a catalyst for destruction.

UNVEILING THE TRUTH & ITS CONSEQUENCES  “And then I thought again of his words— ‘I will be with you on your wedding night.’ That, then, was the period fixed for the fulfillment of my destiny. In that hour I should die and at once satisfy and extinguish his malice.” (pg. 147, Signet Classics)  Shelley foreshadows the creature’s decision to kill all that Frankenstein has to live for. The consequence of his decision to reanimate dead flesh stifles his relationship with his beloved Elizabeth.  Additionally, Frankenstein realizes that the thirst for revenge of the creature is unquenchable and will not be halted until he dies.

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY  “At length I gathered resolution to address him in a pause of the tempest of his passion. ‘Your repentance,’ I said, ‘is now superfluous. If you had listened to the voice of conscience and heeded the stings of remorse before you had urged your diabolical vengeance to this extremity, Frankenstein would yet have lived.’” (pg. 195, Signet Classics)  Walton suggests that the creature does not have the ability to honestly repent for his action. This later incites an honest emotional reaction from the creature that encourages this catharsis. He also suggests that the creatures actions accelerated Frankenstein’s downfall which encourages the monster to take personal responsibility because Frankenstein is his master.  Walton acts as a priest like figure to the creature by taking his “confession.” In this sense he is encouraging the creature’s repentance.

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY  “’But soon,’ he cried with sad and solemn enthusiasm, ‘I shall die, and what I now feel to be no longer felt. Soon these burning miseries will be extinct. I shall ascend my funeral pile triumphantly and exult in the agony of the torturing flames. The light of that conflagration will fade away; my ashes will be swept into the sea by the winds. My sprit will sleep in peace, or if it thinks, it will not surely think thus. Farewell.’”  The creature is shameful of what he has done in the past. Now he is without his creator, and feels his purpose in life has died with Frankenstein. As he was looked upon as an abomination, he feels he will rid society of such a burden with his death.

THE END