Tabula Rasa Frankenstein Selfish Quotes

After reading Frankenstein, there are many contrasting arguments on the development of the monster. Opposing the view of “tabula rasa”, it’s more accurate to state that the monster was born with righteous intentions. Through the reversal of the monster's intent, his self-devised desires, and how his personality was altered by others actions, Mary Shelley makes the reader realize that people are born inherently good in order to show how a corrupt mankind and society converts them into sustaining evil.

The first instance where Mary Shelley proves this to be true is through how the monster’s intent changes. In the beginning of his chapters, he states that he yearns to be a part of the human’s society. He has pure intentions, and only wishes

The first encounter the reader sees with him is when he takes refuge in the forest. Mary uses imagery and description to show the amount of love he feels for the forest, and uses this to build a picture for the reader. “Soon a gentle light stole over the heavens and gave me a sensation of pleasure. I started up and beheld a radiant form rise from among the trees,” (Shelley 85). The description of how he sees all of the things mankind takes for granted shows his personality starts. A light, simple, and appreciative mind is what he starts off as. Showing how closely he pays attention to the small details of the Earth, and the beauty he sees in nature, she allows us to build him a personality. After all of the events explained previously in the essay, he changes. One does not only see that on a physical level, but on an emotional one as well. “For some days I haunted the spot where these scenes had taken place, sometimes wishing to see you, sometimes resolved to quit the world and its miseries forever. At length I wandered towards these mountains, and have ranged through their great recesses,” (Shelley 123). This shows how the events that occurred changed him completely, just through the little details about how he views the world. By giving a much shorter description of what he sees, and no longer expressing the great beauty he used to experience, the reader sees how his self changes. The literary device Mary uses in the start of the monster's monologue is imagery, and this is utilized to show how his pure intentions and character change due to