More Information

Mary Shelley's Life

Brief Plot Summary

Character Summary

Return to AP Review/Frankenstein

The most obvious theme in Frankenstein is
the persecution of the monster for his 
physical appearance.  The comment reflects 
Shelley's desire to address societies false
emphasis on appearance and outside beauty.

The author creates a family that places a 
great deal of emphasis on a person's 
appearance.  The first time a reader sees 
this connection is when Victor's father
chooses Caroline, his wife, because of the
beauty she possessed while kneeling at her
father's coffin.  Although he feels this is
a righteous thing to do, he is trully only
satisfying his need emerse himself in 
physical beauty.

Next, the reader sees Shelley's emphasis on
beauty when Caroline decides to adopt a 
little girl that lives in poverty in the 
village.  Elizabeth is chosen immediately by
her physical appearance.  Even though she is
a kind, caring person, the first thing that 
attracts Caroline to her is her beauty.  It
is that beauty that Victor is surrounded by 
as a child.  

As a result, Victor is left with no sense of
inner beauty, only the importance of physical
appearance.  These beliefs combined with his
interest in science are a deadly combination.

While creating the monster he takes all of the
pieces that are the most beautiful: a large
head for great intelligence, strong arms and
legs for physical strength, etc.  However, he
never looks at the overall appearance of his
creation until the monster is brought to life.
At this very moment he sees the horrid creature
he has made, and is appalled.   

Victor's reaction is completed when he doesn't
take responsibility for the monster that he 
has created.  He values physical appearance
more than inside beauty, so he tries to 
forget about the animal and move on with his life.

Shelley, however, wants to make a statement 
about society in general, so she lets the reader
get inside the monster's head in a chapter.  In
this chapter the reader sees the monster 
struggle to find who he is, thereby developing
sympathy for him.  The reader can now value
inside appearance and see the mistake that
Victor is making.  

The only way for Shelley to complete this 
statement about society is for the monster to
be rejected by the family he tries to befriend.
The companionship the monster needs, he is 
denied, and left to flee for the mountains.

Shelley's ability to put the reader into the
monster's head and her description of Victor's
opinion of "beauty", make her statement on 
society come to life.  Never judge a person, 
thing, etc. by its outside appearance, it is
only the inside that counts.