Gothic fiction is a literary genre that is both mysterious and scary. A good example of gothic fiction is a well-known classic, called Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Kids nowadays dress up as Frankenstein for Halloween, because this creature has become very popular over the decades. This story talks about a man called Victor who brought a monster-like creature to life through one of his inventions. At first, this monster was harmless, and just tries to fit in. However, he is denied by society because of his outer appearance, so Frankenstein sought his revenge by causing havoc in the city, and murdering many innocent people. He becomes so powerful that Victor had to find him through small hints, which led him to the Arctic Circle, and although he previously planned to capture and end the monster he created, mother nature had other plans for him. Victor passed away in the Arctic Circle after getting very sick. After that, Frankenstein visited him, crying to his body, and telling a dead corpse of all his regrets. The story ends with Frankenstein saying that since his creator has died, he will also die, and disappears. This story has many meanings, and is open to very different opinions and interpretations.
Everyone who has read the story all have different thoughts on who is wrong; the monster, or the creator of him? Although there is no correct answer, we can analyze the seriousness of the characters’ actions. Frankenstein has killed countless innocent families, and damaged a city very seriously. Through the eyes of society, Frankenstein is a ruthless monster. However, he was hated even before he became a killer, just for looking the way he did. We will realize that Frankenstein cannot control what he is born like, and after being cast away from society, decided that he wants revenge. This is where things get complicated, because it is very controversial to whether his actions went too far. Maybe he just wanted attention, but killing people is not a good way to get it. Victor is the creator of the monster, and we cannot blame him for making Frankenstein, but he should have taken care of this creation. He is supposed to be a guardian or parental figure to the monster, but he has not taken any of these roles seriously. Victor pushes away his own creation, and if he didn’t, Frankenstein might not have become so violent. Through this analogy, we can see that what both these characters did are really messed up, and are irrevocable.
The reason that the monster was created in the first place was for scientific exploration. Victor wanted to find out all about life and death, so he created this monster. At the time, he had no idea that he would unleash a horrible creature into this world. For scientific exploration, hundreds of thousands of experiments must be made, but none of them should be taken too far, like how Victor was so greedy that he wanted to create something that could tell him basically everything. In scientific exploration, it’s good to be bold, but we must also be careful, because if our experiment ends up anything like Victor’s, it could endanger our population. Science is not for oneself, it is for the whole world. For example, if someone found a stable cure to cancer, and they kept it all to themselves, this will be a case when scientific exploration is used incorrectly. When someone uses scientific exploration as a benefit to themselves, it might not exactly turn out well. Selfish ambition is usually punished with consequences, which is exactly what Victor does, and his actions came with severe consequences.
It is simply human nature to make mistakes, but what if the mistakes are just too severe? From the first step Victor took in making Frankenstein, up until the last, he has made too many unjustifiable mistakes. The first one would be the idea of this monster. Victor was overcome with greed, so he made the experiment, hoping he would know all the secrets the universe can offer. In this idea, he thought of no-one else and how it may affect them. The next mistake he made was by leaving the monster to find its own way into society. Victor should’ve been there guiding the creature step by step, as it is his responsibility. The last mistake he made was to watch around as the monster killed hundreds of people. Victor should have taken action sooner, but he didn’t. All his mistakes come together as a chain event, and they lead up to make Frankenstein the monster that he is. Frankenstein regretted killing people in the end, but it was too late. The damage was already done, somehow because of this chain even. The moment when Victor stopped caring about this creature, it became a monster.
Gothic fiction is a literary genre with many different kinds of endings. Frankenstein is a very popular novel, even in the modern days, because of its sad yet meaningful ending. When kids hear Frankenstein, they will think; “Monster.” However, when these kids have matured, they will realize that Frankenstein portrays exactly what many people feel on the inside. This ‘monster’ was abandoned, discriminated against, and never cared for. He was rejected and shut out from society, so how can we expect him to still be happy and harmless. He is just like how someone feels when they want revenge. This story has many messages, but the biggest one would be to not take things too far. Victor took his invention too far and did not even take responsibility, while the creature took revenge too far by murdering people. The author shows us that violence comes with regret, because there is always a better way to handle things. Frankenstein regretted his violent approach to revenge so much that he killed himself. This shows us that violence should be our last resort, not our first. Frankenstein helped us understand many things, and taught us many life lessons.
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