Frankenstein’s Monster and his Introduction to Prejudice

Title Page of An Essay Concerning Human Understanding 

                  Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, explores the societal rejection faced by the monster as a result of his abnormal appearance. Shelley’s character, Victor Frankenstein, creates his own being from dismembered human body parts and he is not pleased with the outcome. Victor Frankenstein describes the process he endured for the physical makeup of the monster: "I collected ones from charnel houses; and disturbed, with profane fingers, the tremendous secrets of the human frame," (Shelley 38). When the monster comes to life, he has yellow skin, flowing black hair, dun-colored eyes, and an alarming height at eight feet tall. As a result, he abandons his creation, forcing the monster to live independently. The creature learns how to live and formulate his own ideas from experiences with humans in various locations around Europe. Similarly, John Locke introduced the tabula rasa in his book, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding in 1690. The tabula rasa is the concept of all beings born with an absence of knowledge. However, Locke believed all beings were "blank slates" until they were exposed through experience and environmental influences.The tabula rasa is also referred to as the "blank slate" since beings do not possess the mental capacity for information.

                  As stated in the previous paragraph, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding analyzes the relationship between the tabula rasa and thought processes of new beings. This book is directly connected to Mary Shelley because she was familiar with John Locke's work. Shelley was an adamant reader of Locke's work and studied his philosophy very closely. Several critics believe she intentionally made the monster's mind blank to show the relevance of the development in individuals. The connection between the two is no coincidence: the monster is born and has to continue his existence by learning from others. Locke writes, "All our ideas are of one or the other of these...External objects furnish the mind with the ideas of sensible qualities," to convey the idea that external thoughts affect the ideas of a new being (Locke 76). Frankenstein's monster's development was solely based on Locke's tabula rasa.

                    The concept of the tabula rasa is very closely connected to the monster's knowledge, or initial lack thereof, in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. It is noted that the monster absorbs information through experience and observing others. Locke says, "All ideas come from sensation or reflection....all our knowledge is founded, and from that is ultimately derives itself," describing how all beings are born without erudition (Locke 75). Similarly, the monster reflects on his time in isolation where he learns mannerisms and how to read and write, by observing a family. The creature shares, "What chiefly struck me was the gentle manners of these people; and I longed to join them, but dared not," highlighting his admiration of the De Lacey family (Shelley 80). Although he was treated poorly by other humans, he knew that this family was not like the others. He learned about the De Lacey family's character through deep observation and experience.

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