Paradox In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

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A paradox is a statement that contradicts itself and still seems true somehow. In novels paradoxes exist to create a deeper meaning of the literary content. Frankenstein is a book about a madman who creates what he calls a monster. In Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein paradoxes throughout the monster’s life are shown through humanity, love and appearance.
What makes a human, human? Is it having emotions, talking, or simply just how we interact with each other? If those are the basics that makes humans human than the monster that Victor creates in frankenstein is not a monster but in fact a human due to the fact he goes through emotions, conversations and human interaction. Did anyone ever wonder if the monster itself was more human than …show more content…

The monster always says he wants a companion and someone to love him but how can you want love but kill someone else's love? That's quite the contradiction. On page 124 in chapter 17 the monster says to Victor "You must create a female for me.." But then in the beginning of chapter 23 the monster kills Victor's female love, Elizabeth. The monster must learn that just because he kills Victor's love that doesn't mean that Victor will make him a love. Overall the paradox of love is used to show how the monster feels and thinks.
Originally when Victor creates the monster he wanted it to come out a beautiful creature but it came out to be an unpleasant looking creature with no pleasing features at all. The monster doesn't realize how horrid he looks until he sees himself and that changes his whole perception of himself and his out look on his the rest of his life. Overall the paradox of appearance is significant because it shows that the way you see yourself on the outside truly does matter and affect how you feel on the inside.
In conclusion the paradoxes of love, humanity and appearance together help give Frankenstein a deeper meaning and understanding. The paradox that basically sums up the book is the paradox of humanity which is; Is the monster really a monster or can he be labeled as human?
Throughout the whole book that paradox is being used and the paradoxes of love and appearance are helping contribute to

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