Ambition In Frankenstein Research Paper

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The Pursuit of Endeavors Through Ambition

Ambition drives many individuals to put all their effort and resources into achieving their goals; but, instead of leaving the sense of accomplishment one wishes to feel- it leaves remorse or a need for far more. Human greed is the cause of the satisfaction one feels while working up to meet a goal and the emotions that go along with it, but when that goes unchecked the pursuit of the goal is far more enjoyable than the accomplishment of it.
The most famous character in Frankenstein, the Creature, represents the corruption that human greed and ambition can cause. The Creature is conceived by Victor’s ambition and much like his creator, he thirsted for knowledge of the world and its’ workings; “I perceived that the words [...] spoke[n] sometimes produced pleasure or pain, smiles or sadness, in the minds and countenances of the hearers. This was indeed a god-like science, and I ardently desired to become acquainted with it” (Shelley 78). He was abandoned at birth, which left him ignorant and vulnerable and ultimately served as the catalyst to his fascination with the …show more content…

He took whatever he needed with any means necessary without consideration of the effects his actions could have; “No one can conceive the variety of feelings which bore me onwards, like a hurricane, in the first enthusiasm of success” (Shelley 32). Many individuals take life experiences and use them as inspiration to pursue their wants, much like Victor did; yet, combined with ambition and obsession, this can be a fatal combination;“I had desired it with an ardor that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart”(Shelley 35). Realization and guilt cause the euphoria of accomplishment to turn into disgust and in turn opens the door to

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