It is often said that history repeats its self, and that has proven itself to be correct time after time. Many issues addressed in Frankenstein are as relevant today as they were when the novel was written. There are the consequences of loneliness and isolation, the preoccupation of society with appearance, and the issue of parental responsibility and neglect. These issues are just as prevalent, if not more so today, than when this was written.
First, there are the ramifications of isolation. The Creature is alienated by its creator and by society as a whole. He wants people to accept and include him. He says he wants to, “Become linked to the chain of existence and events, from which I am now excluded,” (108). His alienation from society causes him to hurt people, because he thinks they will never accept and like him. That is prominent in today’s world. People who are “shunned” by society often have the tendency to act out. Many incidents of criminal behavior have been traced back to difficult experiences that were had growing up to due treatment from others. Due to alienation from society, the creature learned to hate and eventually ended up committing criminal acts. Alienation from those that are perceived as “lower” than others is recurring throughout the times of Frankenstein and today. Just as Frankenstein sees his creature as a lower being, people today see both pets and humans as lower beings, often leaving them in alley ways or streets.
Loneliness and isolation are prevalent in Frankenstein. The monster, although not human, still has the emotions of feeling abandoned and unloved by humanity. As the story begins, Frankenstein alienates himself from his family and friends only to eventually wind up alone. Today, at some point in time, most of us feel unaccepted and isolated in our lives and feel that we just don’t fit in.
In addition to alienation, society has demanded that only the aesthetically pleasing are acceptable. If you do not...