Shelley’s use of flashbacks tells the events retrospectively to let the monster explain and try to justify his actions so the audience can sympathise with him. This also humanises his character and makes the monster’s actions seem validated as the audience can understand and sympathise with him as we know what he is thinking and can draw on his emotions from experience.
From Frankenstein’s perception throughout the story the audience sympathises with his views to think that the monster is evil, Shelley purposefully uses vivid descriptive language to convey the image across; she also purposefully used oxymorons to create a contrast that works in a negative way on the monsters appearance. “These luxuriances only formed a more horrid complexion with his watery eyes” This quote shows that Shelley has illustrated the fact that the monster has some good features but they only contrast with his “shrivelled complexion” to create a repulsive façade.
The readers from Frankenstein’s point of view can only imagine a representation of a horrendous fiend but this perception changes completely when the story jumps to the monsters narrative.
When the story is told through the monsters insight it affects the reader enormously as we can sympathise with the monster and justify why he has done what he did. Shelley cleverly uses emotive language during the monsters narrative to convey his feelings and sensations to the reader. By giving the monster the 5 senses; sight, touch, smell, taste and hearing she makes him feel like a human being to the reader instead of a beast.
Shelley also uses flashbacks through the monster to make the reader sympathise with him. The monster commences his tale by telling Frankenstein how he felt when he was “born”; this creates a sense of innocence around the monster, as all newborns are linked with innocence.
As the monster is also portrayed as an abandoned and rejected child we can sympathise and justify his sins because he has had no father figure to guide him and teach him right from wrong; this also reflects on Shelley’s own life during that period as her father stopped talking to her throughout the time she wrote Frankenstein.
The sense of rejection is heightened for the monster as he was such a disappointment to Frankenstein who created the monster with such high hopes of “beauty” but when Frankenstein realises what he has done he sees his creation as an “abhorred monster”. This engages in our sympathy with the monster since he didn’t ask to be created.
Although he learns that he is a mistake he is still grateful towards Frankenstein for giving him life. He still looks up to Frankenstein as his creator and loves him for giving him life but at the same time hates him for creating him because his life is so miserable. This draws compassion from the readers because the monster feels this way; they can sympathise with him for why he hates his creator because as most children will have had a nice loving childhood.
Throughout the monsters story he constantly illustrates the fact that he was rejected and alone. This makes the reader feel sympathy for him as it introduces the concept of the monster being “abandoned” at birth by Frankenstein. Shelley also illustrates the monster in the light that he is a human being by giving him human instinct; “Instinctively… on a sensation of cold I had covered myself with some clothes”. This shows the reader the monster has basic needs such as warmth, it also shows that at the beginning his actions were also very simple such as “to obtain food and shelter”.
The language used by the monster to describe his actions was also quite simple but also reflects on his intelligence. The monsters recount of his actions were very simple but the descriptions of the response from villages were very descriptive and emotive such as “He dashed me to the ground and struck me violently with a stick” This use of emotive language creates a bad impression on the monsters attackers as the reader learns he has done nothing wrong therefore they feel compassion towards the monster.
The monster also highlights his sense of loneliness and rejection throughout the story by using repetition and sensitive descriptive words that move the reader. “I knew that I possessed no money, no friends” this reinforces the fact that the monster is all alone in the world. He also describes himself as a “poor, helpless, miserable wretch” which makes the reader feel sorry for him, as this language is very moving and persuasive because the monster is portrayed in a vulnerable position.
Although the monsters character begins quite confident and benevolent we know this because he says “Believe me Frankenstein I was benevolent; my soul glowed with love and humanity” this deteriorates throughout the story due to unfortunate circumstances that have affected his thoughts and behaviour. His own dreams and hopes were shattered by the mistreatment and denunciation from other people he considered his “friends”.
At first the monster appreciates everything from a positive perspective we know this because he says “I fixed my eyes on that with pleasure” but his perceptive changes and Frankenstein’s harsh and unjust treatment towards him undermines his self confidence leaving the monster to agree with Frankenstein’s thoughts. When meeting with Frankenstein the monster describes himself as “deformed and horrible” this creates sympathy from the reader as this reflects on the misery and isolation that the monster feels. “I am alone and miserable; man will not associate with me”
We see more of the vulnerable side of the monster as he tells Frankenstein of his emotions and reactions to events. “I gave vent to my anguish in fearful howlings” This shows that the monster has very human characteristics because he expresses his anger and lamentations through howling and crying.
Another susceptible side of the monster is his longing for a mate or companion, the monster stresses that he needs a companion, “I can live in the interchange of those sympathies necessary for my being” in order to survive as he is too miserable in this world. This touches on the reader’s kindness and pity because companionship is a human characteristic. Looking at the monster in this light shows the reader that he is a sensitive good natured being therefore creating a sense of pity for him.
In conclusion I think that Mary Shelley’s presentation of the monster leads you to sympathise with the monster a lot through out the story. When reading the story through the monsters perspective you can see that he is a “benevolent” and helpful being who deserves to be treated with respect that Frankenstein denied him of.
I think this is the effect that Mary Shelley wanted to have on readers because she chose the language used by the monster carefully to show that he is intelligent and capable of caring, as he helped the cottagers collect wood. This leads the reader to pity him as he is treated harshly for his looks, even by the people he helped. He is also considered a “beast” and a mistake by his own creator.
The intended effect of telling the story from the monsters point of view was to create pity for him. Shelley does this brilliantly by also showing the readers that he is just like any other human being. He has instincts to eat, keep warm and look for food. So just like other human beings he needs company to keep him alive. This is an ordinary daily life aspect that people take for granted but the reader can sympathise with the monster because everyone in this world has a companion.
This also highlights another theme in the story; I feel that it has some relevance to society and Mary Shelley’s own life about how you treat people and what their behaviour will end up like.
I think that isolation from Shelley’s father may have contributed to this theme in the story and it has also given her a good insight on how to write in the monsters perspective because she is experiencing these pains.
