Social Rejection In Frankenstein

Through studies, getting rejected from the society and not measuring up to society’s norms of aesthetic are some key roots of aggressive and violent behavior. In Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, the creatures desire to get accepted into society as well as fit into the society’s standards of beauty led to “his” monstrous demeanor. In many cases of school shootings, most students were facing social rejection. Furthermore, people in our society try extremely to fit into our immutable society. As seen in the novel, school shootings, and the people of today, there is a link between getting accepted in society and meeting the standards of attractiveness to aggressive and cruel actions. Although humans are intelligent, every single one of us depends on

Similarly, many school shooters faced some sort of social isolation while growing up. For example, Adam Lanza, the shooter at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, was described as quiet and socially awkward (Landau, 1). Moreover, violent criminals are often pessimistic, have low self-esteem, and have been bullied or rejected by their peers. For instance, “Seung-Hui Cho, shooter at Virgnia Tech in 2006, was reportedly teased in middle school or being shy and for his unusual way of speaking” (Robertz, 2). Many studies have shown that students that have been rejected by their classmate will cause them to get furious, resulting in violence. Social rejection can be extremely painful, make you feel like you have been abandoned, and can make some people go crazy. In the novel the creature explains, “ I was benevolent and good; misery made me a fiend” (Shelly, 103). The creature is claiming that being abandoned by Victor and being rejected by the rest of society made him turn evil. The creature, similar to a child, was only seeking love and guidance and was truly innocent. The creature and be linked to these school shooters because their minds are a “tabula rasa”, meaning that their personal experiences shape who there are. If people accepted them and treated them with respect and compassion, these violent tragedies would have never occurred. Believe it or not your physical appearance truly matters in the society we live in today.

”Assessment of the employee’s appearance is directly tied to the probability of getting employed” (Mahajan, 167) The society’s standards for beauty are even being drilled into the minds of young children. For example, Disney films, especially involving princesses are teaching both boys and girls false expectations of what society expects of them. For boys, Disney is saying that they have to be handsome, brave, and strong and they ultimate goal is to save the princess. For girls, Disney is claiming that being super skinny, having perfect hair, and having a flawless face make a woman attractive. If kids do not fit in those standards they can become victims of bully. For instance, Lady Gaga was bullied at school for being ugly and Steven Spielberg for not fitting in (Horner 1). “I had admired the perfect forms of my cottagers -- their grace, beauty, and delicate complexions: but how was I terrified when I viewed myself in a transparent pool! At first I started back, unable to believe that it was indeed I who was reflected in the mirror; and when I became fully convinced that I was in reality the monster that I am” (Shelly 116). When the creature looks at himself through his reflection, he realizes for the first that he is different from everybody else. He becomes jealous of the cottagers beauty and understands that his horrific appearance is causing people to be terrified of him. Although he is intelligent like a human, he is trapped inside a monster’s body