outcast

a solo socratic seminar of Frankenstein:

To me this novel focuses on romanticism and the sins of human nature since Shelley builds her entire plot on ambition, beauty standards, and envy---all of which are inherent to humans. But before I go in the plot, there's a few tangentially related notes that are pretty interesting:

1. Frankenstein was republished by MIT for scientists and innovators to read. Interesting isn't it, another *quirky* and *unique* aspect of MIT. Researchers, esp people at MIT, will always create cutting-edge technology, but it reminds us to always keep the sense of humanity and not let things go out of control. 
2. Shelley was an abolitionist in her time. I never really connected the dots that Frankenstein actually alluded to a slave, the slave imagery of the monster just went over my head. But anyway, it makes sense since the outcome of Victor Frankenstein and the Creature he created emphasized how Shelly couldn't tolerate one human subjugating another like how society outcasts the Creature
3. Shelly's mother died, father remarried and focused on new children. She lost her first newborn, then her other three children to disease. Her husband Percy drowned after her marriage. Abandonment and tragedy throughout Shelley's life. Now it makes sense how she wrote this dark book at basically my age (she was 18...)

Probably understood, but Frankenstein spoilers ahead

• what is Shelley trying to say about ambition? Victor Frankenstein was definitely overly ambitious, cocky, conceited, but why did every character in the book that was somewhat ambitious met with tragedies? Like the girls were all submissive domestic homemakers that waited on their hands and knees for their husbands...her feminist character is rlly not showing here. From the epistolary I get that the novel is set in the latter part of the 18th century so during the end of the Enlightenment and beginning of English Romanticism, and romanticism bases its grounds on nature and limiting technological advancements. But ambition does not directly translate to destroying mother nature with exploration. Frankenstein's friend also had goals that were not just focused on exploration, but he was cast to death by murder...
• relationship between women and nature. tbh the first thing I noticed was how Shelley sexualized nature, like how Frankenstein and Walton both sought to "penetrate" nature (said multiple times across the span of two pages) and tread land never imprinted by the foot of man. very possessive, just like the stereotypical man, "satiate" their desires. Clearly there is a parallel between the women in the novel and nature, but Elizabeth is described to be in an extremely subservient role and nature is described to be immensely powerful. Hm this could tie into more romanticism ideals like how society is destroying nature, so in reflection society limits women---so women are innately strong but men limit women. my feminism is swelling. Victor thinks of Elizabeth and is comforted, like how he finds serenity only through nature. so come to think of it Elizabeth controls Victor through merely her existence. 
• Madonna whore syndrome. Frankenstein obsesses over Elizabeth ever since he was a mere child and his family just adopted the girl. In his entire journey, he does not see Elizabeth, yet fantasizes over her and writes her sappy love letters. I don't think he loves her. He just idealizes her like any possessive conceited man of the time. The second Elizabeth says something remotely out of line or rejects the conceited man she's going to be characterized as a witch whore. 
• is the Creature truthful at the end of the novel? after the rejection from the cottage people, the Creature falls into a state of utter savageness and he abandons all traces of civilization and humanity. All of his sinful actions are learned from human society since the plot embodies elements of romanticism, how the creature is born pure and innocent but society corrupts him. At the end of the novel, he laments over Victor Frankenstein and informs Walton that he will commit suicide. But we are never told that actually happens. What if the Creature also learned manipulation from the humans and was lying during his reflection. Did he truly recover from the dark side or is he just further down it. Anyway, the story is narrated from Frankenstein's perspective so if i'm thinking this right now I am also one of those despicable humans that outcast the creature. i love the creature btw...before he murdered everyone. 
• are the Creature's actions justified? i'm on the Creature's side for mostly the entire plot, but his murders should not be justified by abandonment by father figure and alienation from society. Victor Frankenstein was the Creature's creator and he did not give the creature any love and instead gave the creature all his insecurities, but he should not be held responsible for all the actions that the creature does. This goes back to WW2, Einstein created the atomic bomb, but he should not be held responsible for the world war. 
• what if the Creature was a female goddess? tbh what really outcasted the creature from society?? He was 8ft tall and looked "hideous", but what if he was a goddess? An immortal figure is not human either but is well respected by mortals, but the Creature was completely alienated because he was "not human". I don't think that is a valid explanation for why the creature was met with hostility. For all I know, if a gorgeous woman came up to any of the Lynbrook guys in class of 2023, they would all be simping over her even if she cannot speak or has a complete fetus mind. Plus, Safie was somewhat similar to the Creature in that she did not speak the language and was a complete foreigner, but she was met with hospitality by the cottagers. Also, beauty standards are set by society, so why should Frankenstein suffer and be called ugly? I had tears in my eyes when he accepted that he was ugly near the end all because of Victors notebook and the way the villagers and other people treated him. I think he is good looking.