Tuesday, October 6, 2009
The Appearance of Frankenstein
Webster's dictionary defines a monster as "any grotesque imaginary creature," "a very wicked person," or "a huge animal or thing." This seems to be a pretty broad definition... Is that to say that because something is big or ugly it must be a monster? Well society seems to think so.
Societies' views on the monster's appearance play a very crucial role in the novel, "Frankenstein." Because of the monster's less than pretty outward appearance, the public refuses to accept the creation.
He is different.... He is grotesque.... He is foreign....
As humans, we tend to fear the unknown. We like to be in control. Its almost comical: one little wrench in the gears and an entire community can fall apart. When Victor introduces the monster, chaos erupts.
While reading this novel, the phrase "don't judge a book by its cover" comes to mind. Just because something is terrible to look at doesn't mean it isn't good. There are a great many things in this world that may not be so pleasant or fun, but that does not mean that it is evil either.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Definitely watch the little video before reading the post... The video is a direct quote and it really helps to capture the opinion of the monster's appearance.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Outlandish, I'm glad you posted a video, but I was hoping that you would comment a little more on it. What sort of images does the video give us of Frankenstein's Creature? There seems to be a huge emphasis on death, decay, and the fragmented body in the video. We never see a whole body--just disjointed parts, blown up to be horrific in proportion. Why do you think the director of this video chose to show the Creature's body in this way? How does it compare to other depictions of the Creature's body in other films?
ReplyDeleteWell, I find that society, as well as Frankenstein, seems to pick apart the creature. They never take a moment to see him as a whole. He is living, though not made from natural life, he is grotesque on the outside, but there is so much more to him. The video helps to personify societies approach to the creature... tearing him apart bit by bit. Neglecting to take in the full effect that is this mosaic of life, death, and the unknown.
ReplyDelete