ENG 510 Lecture 6: 6. Frankenstein (Cont.)
Document Summary
It"s from the de laceys that the creature gains most of his moral values, as well as his language and the structure of society. The first glimpse that the monster gets of a rational, kind human being. After the de laceys turn him away, we see the monster becoming deliberately cruel and vindictive. He may not be able to deal with his emotions and thus displays them in the extremes. The creature is somewhat justified in reacting violently; however, he resolves on getting revenge. There is a constant sense that morality is relative. God is nonexistent in the novel, except in references to paradise lost. The creature is paradoxically good in nature. Frankenstein is not only a symbolic god, but a symbolic parent. Spends a good deal of the novel denying his responsibility to the monster. Frankenstein has a fantasy of creating a beautiful creature that will be.