Frankenstein
I think almost everyone is familiar with the tale of a bright, young student and his creation.
Reading it, I can't help but sympathize with the 'fiend' - which is an unfortunate term for the poor creature.
True, it murdered Victor Frankenstein's brother, friend, and wife. And although there is no excuse for murder, I understand the circumstances which drove the creature to commit such horrifying deeds.
Like it or not, Victor Frankenstein was every bit as responsible as the creature for the deaths of his loved ones as if his were the hands which strangled their necks.
A harsh lesson indeed for the young student as to the consequences of playing God, one which we might do good to take to heart.
Who was the real monster? I cannot say, without my conscience screaming itself hoarse, that it is the creature. Neither is it Victor Frankenstein, as an individual - although his greed and selfishness was monstrous in itself.
No, the real monsters are the representatives of the human race which the creature encountered along the way. The peasant family - whom the creature loved, who turned him away when they saw his appearance. Everyone who met the creature and drove him away just because he looked different.
The creature may have looked a monster, but it is the humans who are the true monsters - deceptively hiding their true nature.
And although that is fiction, the ugly truth is that the tragedy of Frankenstein's creature occurs in the real world.
We still discriminate. We hate those who are different. We exist in cliques, comfortable in our own terribly exclusive little world, leaving others out.
Face it - almost everyone can name some so-called "outcast" they know, be it in college, at the workplace, or even back in school. That one person everyone shuns, or is afraid to talk to for fear of appearing 'uncool' or 'weird'.
News flash - that attitude stinks!
How many have we driven to suicide? How many have we indirectly caused to be monsters?
We are the true monsters!
Reading it, I can't help but sympathize with the 'fiend' - which is an unfortunate term for the poor creature.
True, it murdered Victor Frankenstein's brother, friend, and wife. And although there is no excuse for murder, I understand the circumstances which drove the creature to commit such horrifying deeds.
Like it or not, Victor Frankenstein was every bit as responsible as the creature for the deaths of his loved ones as if his were the hands which strangled their necks.
A harsh lesson indeed for the young student as to the consequences of playing God, one which we might do good to take to heart.
Who was the real monster? I cannot say, without my conscience screaming itself hoarse, that it is the creature. Neither is it Victor Frankenstein, as an individual - although his greed and selfishness was monstrous in itself.
No, the real monsters are the representatives of the human race which the creature encountered along the way. The peasant family - whom the creature loved, who turned him away when they saw his appearance. Everyone who met the creature and drove him away just because he looked different.
The creature may have looked a monster, but it is the humans who are the true monsters - deceptively hiding their true nature.
And although that is fiction, the ugly truth is that the tragedy of Frankenstein's creature occurs in the real world.
We still discriminate. We hate those who are different. We exist in cliques, comfortable in our own terribly exclusive little world, leaving others out.
Face it - almost everyone can name some so-called "outcast" they know, be it in college, at the workplace, or even back in school. That one person everyone shuns, or is afraid to talk to for fear of appearing 'uncool' or 'weird'.
News flash - that attitude stinks!
How many have we driven to suicide? How many have we indirectly caused to be monsters?
We are the true monsters!
posted by sleepypurplepiglet at 6:14 PM
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