I believe that it is hard for people to sympathize with the monster. Throughout the book, he is portrayed as an evil creature who relentlessly murders innocent people. Frankenstein constantly refers to the monster as a “daemon” and a “fiend” (150). He also says that he has been “cursed by some devil” (151-153). The monster has also made decisions that he knew were wrong. He viciously murdered several of Frankenstein’s friends and family to seek revenge. Frankenstein said, “The death of William, the execution of Justine, the murder of Clerval, and lastly of my wife; even at that moment I knew not that my only remaining friends were safe from the malignity of the fiend; my father even now might be writhing under his grasp” (146). The monster took out all of his rage and rampantly killed several of Frankenstein’s loved ones. When Frankenstein finds the corpse of his wife he sees the monster. “…I saw at the open window a figure the most hideous and abhorred. A grin was on the face of the monster; he seemed to jeer, as with his fiendish finger he pointed towards the corpse of wife” (145). At this point, I think it is very hard for humanity to sympathize with him. He is pleased with the murder of an innocent woman. This would be a case of nurture because the monster has become very violent and reckless due to his situation.

I believe that humanity sympathizes with the monster. He is very depressed because of the way that people treat him. The monster is a misunderstood and gentle soul. He has human-like emotions and feelings, but people treat him like a hideous beast because of his appearance. He craves affection, but no one will give it to him, not even his creator. The monster claims that even the Devil, “the enemy of God” had friends and companions, but he is alone. In Chapter 24, the monster says, “Once I falsely hoped to meet with beings who, pardoning my outward form, would love me for the excellent qualities which I was capable of unfolding” (165). The monster is not just a wild demon but a creature deprived of affection and friendship. Humanity is able to sympathize with the monster’s miserable situation. “But, in detail which he gave you of them, he could not sum up the hours and months of misery which I endured, wasting in impotent passion” (165). The monster has suffered through feelings of depression and unhappiness, which makes people feel terribly for him. This is a case of the monster being very gentle in nature, but because he has been neglected and has not been nurtured, he has become a violent, misunderstood creature.

I believe that the monster is the true protagonist in this novel. The reader sees the monster as a vile creature throughout the first half of the book because it is all described through Frankenstein’s eyes. In Chapter 11, the monster becomes the narrator and it is clear that he is not just some mindless murderer. The monster describes to Frankenstein the state of confusion he was in when he was created. “It was dark when I awoke; I felt cold also, and half frightened, as it were, instinctively, finding myself so desolate” (71). In Chapter 12, the monster tells the readers about his encounters with humans. They often flee at the sight of his hideousness. He describes a feeling of true guilt from stealing food from a poor family. “[He] saw no cause for their unhappiness; but [he] was deeply affected by it” and he decided to gather wood and leave at their doorstep (77). The monster shows compassion unlike Frankenstein. One is also able to see that the monster has a true longing for family when he becomes attached toward the man and woman he watches. I believe he is innocent and is very misunderstood.

I believe that Victor Frankenstein is the real monster, or antagonist, in this novel. During the creation of the monster, Frankenstein completely neglects his friends and family. Frankenstein is entirely focused and only concerned with his creation, but even after the monster awakens, he flees from it. This shows that Frankenstein is very selfish and only cares for himself. He puts all of his time and effort into creating a new life and after he creates it, he is terrified and wants to destroy him. Since the “birth” of the monster is written from Victor Frankenstein’s perspective, it is hard for the reader to empathize with the monster. The reader also sees the monstrous actions of the monster and assumes that the monster is a merciless and cruel being. After the death of his brother William, Frankenstein realizes that his creation was the murderer. He also comes to the conclusion that it was his fault. Frankenstein is such a coward that he is unable to admit to his family and friends that he is the true murderer. In Chapter 10, Frankenstein wakes up with feelings of desolation and misery, so he decides to travel to a summit, hoping that his feelings will subside. “They elevated me from littleness of feelings; and although they did not remove my grief, they subdued and tranquillised it” (66).

It is obvious that Henry Clerval and Victor Frankenstein made choices differently in their youth. Clerval chose to put his youthful energy into furthering his education and general knowledge. He chose to study humanities. “Meanwhile Clerval occupied himself, so to speak, with the moral relations of things” (19). Frankenstein decided to use his energy to pursue a dangerous and catastrophic scientific experiment without proper reason. “It was the secrets of heaven and earth that I desired to learn; and whether it was the outward substance of things, or the inner spirit of nature and the mysterious soul of a man that occupied me, still my enquiries were directed to the metaphysical, or in its highest sense, the physical secrets of the world” (19). In chapters five and six, the reader is able to see what has become of both of these men. One is able to see that Henry has grown up to be successful and content with life. Frankenstein is miserable and living life in fear of his own creation. I believe that Mary Shelley chose to include a character like Henry Clerval to demonstrate what Victor Frankenstein could have been had he made the wise choices that Clerval had made.

Victor Frankenstein and Henry Clerval are both very eager in their pursuit of knowledge and they have been from a young age. Clerval said, “but his affection for me at great length overcame his dislike of learning, and he has permitted me to undertake a voyage of discovery to the land of knowledge” (37). They differ in their areas of study. Clerval’s studies are based more on humanities, such as classical and oriental language, and Frankenstein’s are based on science. Frankenstein said, “I confess that neither the structure of languages, nor the code of governments, nor the politics of various states possessed attractions for me” (19). One significant difference between the two is that Clerval is able to balance his studies with other social aspects of life, while Frankenstein becomes so deeply focused in his study that he is unable to be social, which keeps him from interacting with his family and friends. Chapters five and six reveal that although at one time Henry Clerval and Victor Frankenstein were both on a journey for new knowledge, the knowledge that they pursued differed and ultimately, shaped their characters.

I agree with you. The New England colonists came to the New World with starting a colony in mind and producing a community of people, while the Chesapeake colonists were more concerned with finding gold and gaining profit for themselves. The New England colonists were able to start families because there were women present and so their population was able to multiply and grow unlike the Chesapeake colonies. Their population didn't increase because there was no way to reproduce. There were Native American women, but it was less likely that they would start a family because of the conflict between the settlers and natives.

I agree because the Chesapeake had weak soil due to all of the growth of tobacco. The nutrients in the soil were depleted. The air was much cleaner in New England as well and it was more environmentally friendly. However, the environment doesn't necessarily determine whether the colonies were more successful but I do believe the New England colonies had more of an advantage and they used it. They used the soil to grow crops and boost their economy and they also worked harder to put a good, stable community together unlike the Chesapeake colonists.

I believe that the New England colonies were more successful than the Chesapeake because they were Puritans and were simple. They didn’t need all of the fancy things like in England and they focused on the important things like organizing a community and being productive. The New England colonists also were able to focus more on family and God compared to the Chesapeake colonists who were just looking to make money for themselves.

I believe that the New England colonies were more successful than the Chesapeake because there was a lot of war and conflict present in the Chesapeake with the Native Americans. The economy of the New England colonies prospered because of fishing, fur trading, and shipbuilding. In the Chesapeake there were a higher number of death rates than in New England due to disease and there was no way to reproduce, seeing as there were no women. The New England colonies were much more stable and they believed that all men were equal, so in fact they worked more than in the Chesapeake where the men were gentlemen and did not want to work because they expected it to be done for them.