Frankenstein Child Neglect Essay

Imagine ever feeling so alone, so frozen and never quite understanding the relation others have and you don’t? Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is more than the scientific dangers but the social attire of neglect and emotional/physical abuse that so many of this, and Shelley’s time, had to experience. In fact this topic is personal to me and my relationships to my late family. Society faces the same social issue of child neglect and rejection that also occurs in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and is prevalent to the fact that Frankenstein is alive today.

Child neglect is another important social issue of our time and Mary Shelley’s. In the article, “Child neglect accounts for 75% of reported abuse cases”, Michelle Healy, a health and wellness reporter

focusing on pediatrics, parenting, and family issues for USA Today, claims that 75% of reported abuses are in fact child neglect. She supports this claim by first collecting data, mentioning articles related to this social problem. Then, describes, reports and studies, that give the exact statistics that support this claim. She compares these reports to be higher than the statistics related to sexual and physical abuse. Healy’s purpose is to reflect the drastic change in societies attitudes today with child neglect to what is was like thirty years ago and that the “ ‘The increase in emotional and psychological abuse reports is in part related to society's changing attitude about what constitutes abuse or mistreatment’ says Molly Jenkins, a research analyst with the American Humane Association.” (Healy). Healy surely is right about modern societies’ view on ‘what is abuse’ because, as she may be aware, recent studies have shown that the rise in abuse reports, especially in child neglect, is higher than ever before. Furthermore, Healy’s article, reflects similar ideas discussed in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Both author’s address the neglect the children and Shelley’s child of her story are both important, although in Shelley’s time child neglect was barely reported nor investigated thoroughly as it is today, as stated in Healy’s article, that because society has changed their view. Shelley develops this issue in Frankenstein stated, “I resolved to fly far from the scene of my misfortunes; but to me, hated and despised, every country must be equally horrible.” (Shelley 88; ch. 11), the creature tells his views on humanity, and that all will only abuse to him. Shelley illustrates, like Healy that child neglect can turn into something no one could expect. Healy’s article, “Child neglect accounts for 75% of reported abuse cases”, is significant because the actions of the creation was, as if, mirrored; a visual representation of the feelings and inner pain, not just of him, but in the reality of the lives of neglected children of our humanity which is proof that Frankenstein is alive today.

Childhood rejection syndrome is an important social issue of our time and in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.

In the article, “Rejecting Childhood Rejection”, Marie Hartwell-Walker, Ed.D in psychology, claims that “being rejected by the very people who are suppose to love, cherish, and care for them...the result is often low self esteem, chronic self help, and depression” (Hartwell-Walker). She supports this claim by first expressing the main reasons for why a parent(s) would treat their child in such a manner. Then, Hartwell-Walker discusses the long term affect this mistreatment has on a child. Hartwell-Walker’s purpose is to help the outcast ‘reject the rejection’ and to find other means to replace that role. I agree with Marie Hartwell-Walker and her article on ‘Rejecting the Rejection’ because of my own personal experience with child neglect and loss confirms it. Furthermore, Hartwell-Walker’s article, reflects similar ideas discussed in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Both author’s address the impacts of child neglect and how mistreatment may lead to some awfully mixed emotions and/or actions. Shelley supports this issue in Frankenstein by such quote,“ ‘Hateful day when I received life!’ I exclaimed in agony. ‘Accursed creator! why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turned from me in disgust?’ ” (Shelley 115; ch. 15 ) the creation is expressing his pain from his ‘creator’ or should have been more parenting and not rejected his creation. Shelley illustrates, like Hartwell-Walker, that. Hartwell-Walkers’ article, “Rejecting Childhood Rejection”, is significant because the issues in Frankenstein are alike and much closer to home that the average public even

realizes.

Human actions are human acts, a human right. We each have rights and opinions; some countries, religions, and even places may not respect that but they do exist. They coexist in our daily lives and sometimes we don’t even realized it. Child neglect and rejection does not just affect children but the adults who have had to experience that. This is a negative situation but these articles simple support the fact that 21st century faces the same social issues of child neglect and rejection that did occur in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and means that Frankenstein is alive today.