It’s unfortunately often that I find myself identifying with a wretchedly ugly, lonely monster at odds with the world, and this feeling is only intensifying with graduation (the beginning of real life) looming closer and closer. As I survey the prospect of starting a career (the interminable march to death), my inner monster is roaring with fright and wants nothing more than to turn away from the world and hide for as long as possible. It seems that Frankenstein’s creature and I have a little too much in common (looks included), but let’s unpack this: what can we learn from reading Frankenstein as a cautionary tale for individuals in a stage of growth?
But first, a plot summary:
Frankenstein was written by Mary Shelley in 1818, and follows the story of Victor Frankenstein, who uncovers the secret to creating life. He creates a monster known only as “the creature,” but he’s horrified and abandons it. The creature, neglected by his creator, attempts to reason with Victor, but when rejected again, goes on a violent rampage of revenge. The long withstanding nature of this novel against time is due to its multiple critical values: it warns against things like hyper-masculinity, toying with the divine, parental neglect, and the unchecked power of ambition.
Lessons from Frankenstein’s Monster
1. Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus
Frankenstein, among other things, is a tale of a Promethean quester. In Greek mythology, Prometheus stole fire from the gods to return it to humanity and was punished by being chained to a rock and having his liver pecked out by an eagle for eternity. Kind of weird, but we’re left to ask ourselves if Prometheus really stole fire for the greater good of humanity or for his own vanity. Did Victor Frankenstein create life and then attempt to destroy it for the good of humanity, or was that just his own vanity? Are we making choices that are genuinely good for our lives, or is there an alternate purpose driving us? Do I want to be a doctor because I love science and helping people, or did I just really like Grey’s Anatomy? This requires a fair amount of self analysis. Deep dive into yourself and make sure that the decisions you’re making are founded upon good motivations and will result in success or health or wellness. Don’t let things like pride, external opinions (in excess), or anger drive you. Make sure you put in the work to make sure what you’re planning to do is genuinely right for you!
2. Change is Inevitable
Horrified by his own actions, Victor turns away from his creature and neglects him. Confronted by him later, he again turns away. This refusal to accept the consequences of his actions sets off the monster’s rampage, and results in the destruction of Victor’s life. That’s a touch dramatic for our discussion, but still: nothing good can come from the refusal to accept change. I don’t want to graduate, and if I’m being honest, I kind of just want to go rot in my childhood bedroom and pretend like I’m forever twelve-years-old. Nothing good will come of this, and Victor’s mistakes mirror that. We must not only accept that life changes, but take advantage of that fact. We can do good from change. If Victor had accepted his monster right away, perhaps he could have raised a loving being; and if we accept change now, perhaps we can thrive in the future. Make change yours and grow with time!
3. Accountability
Throughout Frankenstein, we have to ask whether the monster’s murderous rampage is Victor’s fault for neglecting his creature or the creature’s fault for not accepting accountability for his own actions. Phrased in another way, it’s the question of whether our poor qualities are our own faults or those of our upbringings. To be honest, it’s probably a mix of both. However, at the cusp of the real world, we have to admit that blaming external circumstances for our mistakes is no longer going to fly. If we continue to criticize others for our missteps, we’re going to end up on an angry journey of blame and shame. Don’t be like Frankenstein’s creature: accept your life as it is and thrive against the odds you’ve been dealt. You are accountable for you, and in many ways, this will make your successes even sweeter.
4. The Monster of Insecurity
If there’s one thing we know for sure about Frankenstein’s monster, it’s that he’s really ugly. No matter how hard he tries to connect with other people, they’re so horrified by how he looks that they never give him a chance, and he eventually gives up trying. There are two lessons here: the first is to never judge others by how they look. This is something we all know, but it’s never a bad thing to remember. Frankenstein’s creature began by wanting to do good and was deprived of that chance through superficial judgement. This should prompt us to remember that our own superficial judgements and biases may be hindering us from connecting with wonderful people who have the ability to bring good change to our lives. The second lesson is that regardless of how you look, you will most likely always be judged, whether that be for your appearance or a first impression gone wrong. If this is the case, then there’s simply no point letting insecurity hinder your progress. Fear and insecurity and that hateful imposter syndrome often stop us from reaching for the stars, and there’s just no point: you do you, and that’s going to take you so much farther than pre-emptively stopping yourself out of fear. You can do it!
Frankenstein is a novel fraught with life lessons and opportunities to psychoanalyze ourselves and our lives. If you want to give it a read, here’s the link: read online or buy. In this time of change and growth, let’s not be like Frankenstein’s creature. Let’s accept our lives as they are, ourselves as we are, and move into the future with confidence, grace and hope!
“Beware, for I am fearless, and therefore powerful.”
Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley.