The Psychological Development of Frankenstein’s Monster Matt Tibbitts 12th Grade

Seconds after leaving the womb, babies start to take in the world around them. Although they may know little information about it or its inhabitants, they are taking the first steps on the road to becoming a human—being self-aware of existence. In Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, Frankenstein's monster also goes through this process of coming of age, making Frankenstein a bildungsroman. During this process of learning from the humans in the world around him, the monster begins to become self-aware when he sees his own reflection in a puddle and realizes his grotesque physical appearance differs from those around him. Through this psychological development, Shelly reveals the danger that knowledge of which the truths of society pose and how societal rejection can lead to resentment and violence.

Although Frankenstein's monster may seem like a creature unlike anything else, in reality, he is quite similar to us—specifically in his early years of development. Much like a young child, the monster watches elders read and speak, from which he begins to learn himself. Soon, the monster is not unlike his creator in his ability to read large novels like Paradise Lost and eloquently articulate in French. The pivotal moment of the monster’s...