To What Extent Was the Monster a Benevolent Creature When He Was Born, but Became Evil Due to His Treatment?

Essay #1

Question: To what extent was the monster a benevolent creature when he was born, but became evil due to his treatment?

The monster at his birth was a benevolent and good natured creature. However, he was treated poorly and shunned by everyone even his creator. Due to being an outcast and scorned against, he became an evil creature.

There is evidence in the book that the monster was a good creature at his birth. When the monster went to meet Dr. Frankenstein he was smiling and had his hand stretched out in kindness to the doctor. Dr. Frankenstein was frightened by the look of the monster and hid from him. Without Dr. Frankenstein to guide him the monster was left alone to fend for himself with only the capabilities of an infant. This was only the start of the rejection experienced by the monster.

The monster then went through a village and was received very poorly. "The whole village was roused; some fled, some attacked me, until, grievously bruised by stones and many other kinds of missile weapons (pg.87)." The monster then took refuge in a cave. While in the cave he spotted another family and he saw that there was love in this world. He thought that if he helped the family everyday that maybe he could be loved by this family. After a while of helping the family he decided it was time to introduce himself to the family. The monster was beaten by the family and he was forced to flee again.

The monster had been treated so poorly that he became evil. In a rage against Dr. Frankenstein for abandoning him, he kills his younger brother William. He not only kills William but ruins another innocent life by framing Justine the house worker. At this point in the story the reader can see how the monster has shifted from being a good person to being evil.

In the quote "I was benevolent and good; misery made me a fiend (pg.82) it can be concluded that the monster knows his actions are bad. Though the monster knows his actions are bad he does not care because even if he was good he would still not be received well by the people. This leaves him no incentive to be good and therefore stays evil and continues to kill off the family of Frankenstein. He does this to get Frankenstein back for not providing him with a wife. The monster says that a spouse would make him benevolent again because the wife