I finished Frankenstein by Mary Shelley a couple of weeks ago but I have going over in my head what I want to discuss with this book. Let's start with the overall book in terms of how the heck I got through it. I will admit, the first 50 pages was torturous for me. I wanted to burn the book, thrown it, put it in a shredder and claw my eyes out. However, I am on this journey of reading 1001 Books (even though this list will probably continue to grow) and I will make it though the book and all of the books, even though I want to shoot myself. However, once I got into the meat and potatos of the novel, I was engrossed (though once or twice I was searching for a gun) and wanted to know what the hell happens at the end! The novel is short, less than 200 pages so just think, after you finally cawl your way through the first 50, you only have 3/4 of the book left!
Okay, so I think I have established my journey through the book. Now, I would love to really post my thoughts on some of my favorite passages of the novel. Firstly, the book actually warned e to forget anything I have ever heard about Frankenstein. Any green monster, stupid monster, bolts through the neck, unintelligent creature that was brought to life by a lightening bolt, I was to immediately to forget and start anew. I was pleasantly surprised that Frankenstein was actually not even the name of the monster, but of the Doctor! Dr. Victor Frankenstein! My thoughts on him later. Well, what to call the creature? Creature? Well, Frankenstein's creature is no green monster nor was he brought to life by a lightening bolt. He was created by the hands of Dr. Frankenstein, who at the time is a young boy in his twenties who is in college. Then one day, the creature wakes up and Frankenstein freaks out and runs away from him.
This is what I don't understand. What did the good doctor expect? He knew he was creating a living thing. However, when he realizes how ugly the creature is and can't believe it is alive, and all he does is run away and act like he doesn't know the thing? It shows how heartless Dr. Frankenstein really is. I mean, the creature is no angel either but society has shun him as a monster. One of my favorite passages is when the monster finds Frankstein and takes him to a cave he is living in, in the Alps. The monster tells his story to Frankenstein and I feel bad for this wretched creature. He has had it hard. He cannot be amongst people because they are afraid of him. He finds a cabin out in the mountains and lives on the side of the house looking on at this happy family and living there for almost a year, he learns how to read and talk. However, he can reveal himself because he knows what will happen, the people will become afraid and he must flee. Against better judgement and thinking this family would be different, the monster reveals himself to the blind father but the family returns and kicks him out.
At this point in the story, the poor monster has lost all hope and hates the man who created him. While I feel bad for him, he decides to murder members of Frankenstein's family, which really does make him a monster. However, it is interesting that in present day, Hollywood has so liberally changed Shelley's original novel where it is not recognizable and they decided to call the nameless creature, Frankenstein. But is the doctor really the monster? The creator of this creature who only wanted to be loved and to love another? The doctor who casted him aside and acted as if he did not exist?
The book raises some excellent questions and I encourage you all to read. Tell me your thoughts if you are reading this.
Also, I only have 300 pages left in the The Count of Monte Cristo. I cannot wait to be done and write one hell of an extensive entry. So much to be said in 1400 pages.
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