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Does nature or nurture play a greater role in psychological development
Does nature or nurture play a greater role in psychological development
Literary analysis about frankenstein
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Nature vs. Nurture is one of the world's oldest psychological debates that questions whether your environment or how you were raised or treated impact on someone's development, like how someone behaves, their intelligence and personality. In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein were going to look at which nature or nurture had more effect on the characters in this novel. I believe that nurture had the strongest impact on the characters. You should always think about how your actions are going to have an impact on those around you. ”The fatal impulse that has lead to my ruin” (Shelley 21).Victor became so obsessed with creating this creature that he didn’t think about the outcome of how he was going to feel once the monster was created. “I felt bitterness …show more content…
“Cursed cursed creator! Why did i live? Why, in that instant, did i not extinguish the spark of existence which had so wantonly bestowed? I know not; despair had not taken possession of me; my feelings were those of rage and revenge” (Shelley 97). In my eyes the creature isn’t at fault for what’s happening he didn’t ask to be created it was something that Victor wanted to do, Then he just abandon it and left it to survive on its own, the creature had no one everything he knew he learned himself, didn’t have any real help with anything. No one to love or who loved him. Which is why he demanded Victor to make him someone just as ugly as himself. “I am alone, and miserable; man will not associate with me; but one as deformed and horrible as myself would not deny herself to me. My companion must be of the same species, and have the same defects. This being you must create” (Shelley 104). Everything the creature did was out of anger, killing William framing Justine and all the other bad things that the creature did in this novel, was in my opinion a way he wanted to get Victors attention, the creature felt alone which he was because Victor never created him an companion like he asked. So now he’s made it his job to slowly take away everyone that Victor loved and cared
In Frankenstein, various themes are introduced. There are dangerous knowledge, sublime nature, nature versus nurture, monstrosity, and secrecy and guilt. I chose a main theme as nature versus nurture. Nature is some traits that a person is born with, and nurture is an environment that surrounds a person. The novel indirectly debates whether the development of individual is affected more by nature or by nurture through Victor and the Monster.
As a romantic, archetype and gothic novel, Victor is responsible for the monsters actions because Victor abandons his creation meaning the creature is dejected and ends up hideous and fiendish. It is unfair to create someone into this world and then just abandon it and not teach it how to survive. The quote from the creature “Why did you make such a hideous creature like me just to leave me in disgust” demonstrates how much agony the creature is in. He is neglected because of his creator. The monster says “The hateful day when I received life! I accurse my creator. Why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turned from me in disgust?” Victor is wholly at fault for his actions, image and evil.
The fact the creature refers to a Biblical story teaches us that what Victor has done is not ethical or morally right as the bible connotes truth and wellbeing, the creature feels he is not treated as Adam because he is rejected like the fallen angel is from heaven; the philosophy is that one should absolve themselves of all sin, leaving the creature feeling like his is owed something from Victor. Furthermore during the romantic period it was said that ‘All man is born good’ however this contradicts the creatures life as he is sinned against, hated by Victor and feared by society from the day he was created although he did no wrong. The creature is given no chance in life like Adam was; he is simply a creation who is isolated fr...
“I now hasten to the more moving part of my story. I shall relate events that impressed me with feelings which, from what I was, have made me what I am” (Shelley 92). Frankenstein’s Creature presents these lines as it transitions from a being that merely observes its surroundings to something that gains knowledge from the occurrences around it. The Creature learns about humanity from “the perfect forms of [his] cottagers” (90). Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein offers compelling insights into the everlasting nature versus nurture argument. Her husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley wrote, “Treat a person ill, and he will become wicked.” Shelley believes that the nurture of someone, or something, in the Creature’s case, forms them into who they become and what actions they take. While this is true for Frankenstein’s Creature, the same cannot be said about Victor Frankenstein.
The theme of nature vs. nurture is highly debated in the field of psychology and is quite a prevalent topic of the novel Frankenstein. Nature vs. nurture is a psychology term related to whether hereditary genes or the environment
Victor had created the creature with the vision from his dreams of a strong, tall perfect being with no flaws. His years of study with the unnatural and science had come to this final conclusion and masterful idea that he was determined to finish. To his surprise, he had created the opposite, “For this I had deprived myself of rest and health. I had desired it with an ardour 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) Victor is saddened by what he thinks of as a failure. He leaves his own apartment to go sleep in his court yard outside following his creation. He begins to isolate himself from the creature because of his fear of the creature’s outward appearance. He loses all hope for the creature without even learning anything about him. The fact that Shelley begins to refer to the being that Victor created as a “creature” shows Victor’s ignorance and lack of acceptance. It is Victor’s prejudice that blinds him of the creature’s true potential due to the unwanted preconception that follows the creature as he finds meaning in
By the time of their death, both Victor and the creature has committed repugnant acts: Victor created a being out of corpses and then abandoned it and let it wreak havoc on the people he loved, the creature directly killed three people. But Victor tells Walton that, “During these last days I have been occupied in examining my past conduct; nor do I find it blamable […] nor do I know where this thirst for vengeance may end” (269). Victor is not able to see past the metaphorical clouds that seem to shroud his mind from seeing the truth. Furthermore, Victor is not able to let go of his hate for the creature. In contrast, the creature admits, “But it is true that I am a wretch. I have murdered the lovely and the helpless” (275). The creature is able to recognize that he has made mistakes and as a result he loathes himself. He tells Walton that, “You hate me, but your abhorrence cannot equal that with which I regard myself” (275). Although no amount of regret or sorrow can bring back the people that he has killed, the creature does acknowledge the evil of his actions, which in turn allow him to make come to peace. He is able to reconcile his vengeful feelings towards his creator and praises Victor by calling him, “worthy of love and admiration among men” (275). Both Victor and the creature have done committed actions against each
The creature later went on a journey looking for his creator, he wanted partner to be with him since he was the only one of his kind plus the people hated him. He wanted a partner whom he could live with and not feel alone in this world. When they first encounter themselves victor was amazed by his creation but once again victor did not wanted to see.” Cursed, cursed creator! Why did I live? Why, in that instant, did I not extinguish the spark of existence, which you had so wantonly bestowed? I know not; despair had not yet taken possession of me; my feelings were those of rage and revenge. I could with pleasure have destroyed the cottage and its inhabitants
Victor, who is described as a beautiful man with no apparent flaws. He created another life and kept it a secret until the monster actually came to life. Mary Shelley knew what she was doing because she wanted to portray Victor as being a loyal and caring person. Shelley wanted us to view victor as the one who does not need to take responsibility for their actions but it all catches up with him in the end. Victor is selfish and doesn’t want to take responsibility for his actions, or his creation. Victor states, “I had desired it with and ardor that far exceeded moderation: But now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and the breathless horror and disgust filled my heart.” (Shelley, Kindle) When reading this quote, you can see that he does not care anything about the monster after it has come to life. He spent all that time on it for him to judge the monster by its appearance instead of treating his creation like a child and teaching him everything he needs to know. Now all he knows is neglect and
The beginning of Frankenstein’s dream started as a young man, Victor’s interests lie in science, chemistry, and the balance and contrasts of life and death. Acting as a hypocrite, Victor explains how parents should be there to teach you to become great, “The innocent and helpless creature bestowed on them by heaven, whom to bring up to good, and whose future lot it was in their hands to direct to happiness or misery, according as the fulfilled heir duties towards me” (Shelley 16). Victor says that his parents play a big role in how their child turns out; if the parents treat you bad then the child will come out bad but if he learns from good then he will come out to be a perfect little angel.
Victor plays the role of God and creates his “Adam” but unlike the Adam from the bible, the creature is not designed in a perfect image or guarded by the care of his creator. The creature compares himself to Satan when he says “I considered Satan as the fitter emblem of my condition; …like him, when I viewed the bliss of my protectors, the bitter gall of envy rose within me” (228). The creature was forsaken his first days of living and learned about the society of humans through observation and reading. God introduced Adam to the world with everything provided and guided him his early days of life. He saw Adams loneliness and granted him a mate. The creature asks Frankenstein for a companion as a last chance to become happy and good hearted. Victor destroys his hope and brings more tragedy among him by doing so. God creates all things good, Victor took his Job as a creator and his creation became malignant because unlike God he was ashamed of his creation. From that point on the creatures’ heart becomes cold and makes sure to destroy his creator. When Victor dies the creature repents for the damage that he has done and would live with continuing pain till his death. “…My agony was still superior to thine; for the bitter sting of remorse will not cease to rankle in my wounds until death shall close them forever” (380).
Dekyri Mims English Composition II Frankenstein Application Essay August 10, 2016 Nature vs Nurture The nature versus nurture debate is one of the oldest issues within psychology. So what exactly is the nature versus nurture debate all about? In Robert Plomin and C.S. Bergeman article, Nature and Nurture:
The debate of nature versus nurture is evident in the novel Frankenstein by the way that the creation turned into a monster. To explain how this debate comes into play, first more knowledge about what
He brought the creature to life and realized once it was born that it wasn't a good idea. Victor was disgusted and scared of the monster, so he ran off and left the creature, which was irresponsible and selfish. Instead of teaching the creature morals and helping him adjust to society, he left him which made him very angry. “ Unable
Even though he has been hurt many times before, the creature has not killed once, regardless of the fact he’s had the ability to do so. But, after this encounter with the girl and his attacker, he meets William, who he finds out to be part of the Frankenstein family. Fueled by his rage at what his creator caused him to become, he kills the boy and hopes for the suffering of Victor. The creature tried his best to be benevolent, was eventually overcome by his anger at Victor’s seemingly obliviousness to his feelings. In the end, this leads to how Victor is the reason his creation is doing what he’s doing, showing how his actions make him more monstrous than what the creature has