Identity, Human Nature, and Development By: Jennifer Pham, Eric Sanchez, Aaron Varner, and Michelle Xu

Understanding the Three Concepts Identity- (1) the condition of being oneself or itself, and not another (2) condition or character as to who a person or what a thing is Human Nature- the psychological and social qualities that characterize human kind, especially in contrast with other living things Development- the act or process of developing, growth, progress Note: All of these definitions are vague and open to interpretation

Identity Changes Identity is a changing and mutable characteristic – The personality of both Victor and the Creature change over time: (1) Victor begins as an enthusiastic and avid student with ambitious and optimistic hopes and dreams, but transforms into a tortured man, guilt-ridden and ashamed, whose depression borders on insane. (2) The Creature begins as an innocent and even sympathetic being, but develops into a murderous and tragic fiend: “ The feelings of kindness and gentleness which I had entertained but a few moments before gave place to a hellish rage and gnashing of teeth ” (Shelley 134).

Identity Through Others People develop an identity through their empathy and interaction with others – The Creature became a more sympathetic, sophisticated individual, whose complex emotions became more vivid and well-defined while among the poor but cultured De Laceys. While in the wilds of the forest and mountains, however, his character took on a more primeval and animalistic aspect. – Victor on the other hand while among his friends remained an optimistic and loving personality, but among the corpses involved in his work, he assumed their tireless morbidity.

Development Through Knowledge Knowledge leads both Victor and the Creature from innocent bliss to tortured sin– much like the Biblical Adam and Eve. – Victor loses control of his ambition and immorally assumes the knowledge rightfully that of God; he is therefore consumed by this sin, exiled from the happiness and innocence which he once knew. – The Creature too is tragically destroyed by the knowledge contained in Victor’s journal: when he discovers the wrongs committed by Victor he can no longer retain his old identity but is engulfed by hatred and vengeance: “I vowed eternal hatred and vengeance to all mankind” (Shelley 134).

Identity and Free Will Identity is expressed as a product of one’s circumstances: – The Creature attributes his depraved nature to the injustice of his peers. Through the heavy use of foreshadowing present throughout the novel, fate is made to seem as something inevitable as though the monster is doomed to villainy and Victor to tragedy The morality of the characters is sharply defined; the truly innocent have always been faultless (Henry, Elizabeth), while Victor and the Creature seem natural born sinners Note: this use of fate as certain has certain similarities to the concept of predestination; there is little free will retained by the characters of Frankenstein.

Human Nature and Prejudice The book makes a powerful argument for the value of human nature: (1) the lack of sympathy toward the creature is seen as a crime against him; (2) also, the greatest possessions and losses to Victor are his family the loss of whom nearly drives him insane. Still, human nature is shown to have a profound propensity for prejudice, a sin in and of itself because it simplifies and degrades the complex and valuable nature of other human beings with superficial and often incorrect judgments. – Throughout the novel, the Creature is attacked upon sight because of his loathsome appearance. The novel also suggests that characters’ identities are in part determined by others’ view of them. – Victor expects the worst out of the creature and in his cynicism, sees what he wants to see: “Begone! I will not hear you. There can be no community between you and me; we are enemies. Begone, or let us try our strength in a fight, in which one must fall” (Shelley 66).

The Humanity of the Creature The Creature is considered inhuman because of his disgusting appearance (view last slide) Despite this, the Creature displays many traits, which would warrant the term human: language, reasoning, sympathy, desire for love Indeed, it his final ability to feel guilt that makes him completely human.

Conclusion (Part One) Humanity requires a communal sense of acceptance and affection through which healthy identities may be developed: – Victor’s association with dead bodies and scientific tools left him cold and unemotional on the inside; as he became increasingly isolated from friends and family his healthy identity deteriorated and he allowed his sin to consume his otherwise benign personality – The Creature develops some personality aspects comparable to that of humans– especially when he considers himself a part of the De Lacie home; however, his exclusion from human society turns him wild, aggressive and unempathetic

Conclusion (Part Two) Humans are defined in a perennial power struggle with uncontrollable forces and each other; neither Victor nor the Creature are able to escape the determined destinies and it is their struggle for happiness and survival between each other that helps them to develop new tortured identities. Prejudice is not only an inescapable vice of human nature, but also a shaper of others’ identities Lastly, it is an ability for guilt and remorse that most equates the Creature with Frankenstein.

Bibliography "Lecture Outline." Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Sept "dictionary." Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 17 Sep /browse/dictionary Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft. Frankenstein. N.p.: Dalmatian Press, LLC., Print.