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The Monster And Exile In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

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The Monster and Exile
Every person in life is created with a strong sense of belonging. Whether the belonging is to a person, a place, or a moment in time, they still feel connected and influenced by it. Exile is an action that separates a person from this connected belonging, and can suffer great consequences, but can also enrich their lifestyle. In Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, the creature creaked by Victor Frankenstein is forced, from the very beginning of his existence, away from his creator and society as a whole. This type of exile turned the creature into what he is, shaping his ideas and mentalities.
From the moment he is created, the creature knows he is not wanted by Victor. Shelly writes, “Unable to endure the aspect of the being …show more content…

He sulks into the woods, where he learns of fire and eating, and other important senses of survival. Feeling a wish for company, he seeks out a village and finds a cottage with a small family, but is instantly met with the same exile like treatment he received from Victor. After being abused by the villagers, he runs to the forest again. Shelly describes part of this journey in chapter 16, “Nature decayed around me, and the sun became heartless; rain and snow poured;…the surface of the earth was hard and chill, and bare, and I found no shelter.” (Shelly, 83). This time spent here helped to begin to develop the creature’s mind, proving he was in fact rather intelligent. The monster knew that he was different from these people, often describing them all as beautiful. He knew they would not accept him, and yet his search for belonging and family continue to surge the novel forward.
While the creature is lonely and hurting, his actions slowly become malicious. These outward acts of rage seem to be motivated by his anger towards Victor, for exiling and hating him. When he finally does confront Victor about this, he says “You, my creator, would tear me to pieces and triumph; remember that, and tell me why I should pity man more than he pities me?” (Shelley,

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