Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Victor Frankenstein’s...

Each person reacts differently to a mirror. Some prefer to primp and tidy their face while others take a quick glance and carry on. However, there are others who continuously stare into the eyes of their alternate-self. These people wonder, â€Å"What do I see?† They are the kind of people who desperately seek answers for their existence, and will not rest until their questions are resolved. The alternate-self is the true being. Although it remains as a reflection of the physical body it is also who we see on the inside. What one sees in his or her reflection equals the truth of their nature. For some we see an innate good, but for others it is the innate evil and horror of humanity. Victor Frankenstein may claim to be such a†¦show more content†¦Victor immediately recognizes the same flaw in Walton that destroyed his life. It is of no surprise the two men’s stories parallel one another. By framing them together Shelley is presenting the first alternate-self. Walton and the young Frankenstein are the beings of naà ¯ve nature. Both seek an ultimate goal that endangers not only their lives, but the lives of others. Because of Walton, many men risk freezing in the North Pole; similarly, Victor’s determination and stubbornness results in the deaths of his family and friends. Victor’s perception of Walton is therefore a warning to the young captain. As the story is narrated, Victor imposes the danger of Walton’s likeness by revealing the true horrors of their alternate-self. It should not come as a shock that the monster is Victor’s (as well Walton’s) alternate-self because the monster represents the horror of Victor’s naà ¯ve nature. From his appearance to his resulting personality the monster is the deformed quality of good and evil. Victor’s immediate reaction to the monster is as stated: â€Å"Beautiful! – Great God!† (Shelley 60). The words Victor uses to describe his crea tion are first positive and reflect the glory of success. He sees that the monster is â€Å"beautiful† because he is witnessing the results of his determined and stubborn mind. After the trials he went through by rejection of his father, death of his mother, rejection of his teacher, and receiving acceptance through Dr. Kempe,Show MoreRelatedFrankenstein, By Mary Shelley3475 Words   |  14 PagesMary Shelley is best known for her gothic horror classic Frankenstein. Frankenstein has been heralded by many as the first science fiction book, and Frankenstein’s monster had become an integral character in the public’s cultural pantheon. However, Mary Shelley’s novel is also a cautionary tale of the dangers of intellectual curiosity. Robert Walton, the arctic explorer Victor Frankenstein meets in his final days, serves as a cautionary tale. By embarking on his arctic exploration mission, he placesRead More Essay on Shelleys Frankenstein and Miltons Paradise Lost3164 Words   |  13 PagesShelleys Frankenstein and Miltons Paradise Lost   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Even upon first glance, Mary Shelleys Frankenstein and John Miltons Paradise Lost seem to have a complex relationship, which is discernible only in fractions at a time.   Frankenstein is Mary Shelleys reaction to John Miltons epic poem, in which he wrote the Creation myth as we perceive it today.   His characterizations of Adam and Eve and the interactions of Satan and God and the impending Fall seem to have almost taken a Biblical proportionRead MoreScience in the Enlightenment: Benjamin Franklin Essay1857 Words   |  8 Pagesbreakthroughs occurred during Mary Shelley’s lifetime and several found their way into her work. It has been noted that, [i]n many of her stories there are thinly veiled parallels between people, places, and events in Shelleys life and her characters, settings, and plots (Greenfield 288). Erasmus Darwin, Humphry Davy, and Luigi Galvani and their various, famous experiments held great influence over the general direction of Frankens tein and over Victor Frankensteins character and his reserve of