Frankenstein
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein highlights key issues that are prevalent not only in her society but others as well. One of the central flaws displayed in the book is a skewed sense of morality and guilt. Both Victor Frankenstein and his creation blame their actions and reactions on other people or higher powers, things or beings they deem to be out of their control. Also, Victor doesn’t consider what will happen after he animates his creation or whether creating life artificially with science is a morally sound thing to do. The monster blames his aggressive action on the less than kind treatment he has received from everybody he has come in contact with. He especially blames Victor, his creator, for his abandonment. Victor feels immense guilt over the deaths that happened as a result of his ambitious scientific research but at the same time he doesn’t want to admit that everything is his fault. The deaths of Victor’s brother William, Justine Moritz, Elizabeth, Alphonse Frankenstein, and Victor himself are caused by the creation of the monster. The monster kills William after Victor runs away from him, Justine Moritz is executed for the murder of William which she obviously did not commit, Elizabeth is killed by the monster on the night of her weeding with Victor, Victor’s father dies of grief after the deaths of so many of his children, and Victor dies after trying to kill the monster and chasing it to the artic. Since the book was written as Victor looking back on his experience as told by Sir Walton to his sister it is reflective. Upon his reflection Victor could use his deferring of responsibility as a way to cope with his guilt over all the damage he has caused. When Victor had first started studying alchemy and metaphysical science, his father and teacher M. Krempe told his to dismiss his readings as they were a waste of time and had since been discredited. “A new light seemed to dawn upon my mind, and, bounding with joy, I communicated my