Like many others, I believed that Frankenstein was about a raving, mad scientist who created a giant, hideous man (with bolts in his neck) who went around terrorizing the local villagers. So I was surprised that the book lacked an aging castle, a hunch-backed assistant, and lightning bolts capable of generating life. Since I had seen so many film adaptations of Frankenstein, I had no inclination to pick up the novel when I passed by the Classics section at the bookstore. I was glad when I discovered that the book didn't meet any of my expectations. I really enjoyed reading it, although I found Victor Frankenstein's reflections quite tedious at times. Then again I might only feel this way because I didn't sympathize with his character as much as the others.
I found it interesting to compare the creator to the creation. Victor Frankenstein consistently proclaims his grief and laments over the fate that has befallen him. But it was his own fault, his self-destruction began with by the abandonment of his creation. He is very distant, dismissing the company of family and friends to fulfill his scientific ambitions. Victor, fueled by a foolish motivation to prove himself, achieves his goal of granting life to the dead. After he is done playing god, he abandons this creation. Victor spends the majority of the time incapacitated by his own anguish, all the meanwhile being cared for by those who love him. Instead of telling others about his creation, he hoards this secret, allowing it to plague his mind and put others in harm's way. Even when he had the opportunity to end his and the monster's misery, he refused. He could have created a companion for the monster or put an end to his original creation. It is the accumulation of all of Victor's errors and his unwillingness to face them that he comes across as a very selfish being.
On the other hand, the monster himself sought the company of people, but was unable to create any relationships because of his cursed appearance. Unlike Victor Frankenstein, he feels a strong desire to be amongst humanity and share their experiences. Upon discovering that this will never happen, he directs his actions towards taking vengeance on his creator. In a way the monster is Victor's guilt incarnate. It never stops following him, and grows stronger throughout the story, destroying everyone Victor held dear and continually plaguing his mind up until his death.
It is refreshing to read a book with a conclusion that doesn't wrap up with a happy ending. It was ironic that the monster was easier to relate to, in terms of his desire to be integrated into society. Victor had everything under the sun and yet foolishly created his own demise. I am not accustomed to reading horror novels or tragic endings, so I found this to be a good introductory novel into this genre.
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