Outward Appearance vs. Inner Self

Outward Appearance vs. Inner Self in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

In Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein, the monster's outward appearance is incredibly different from his inner self in that he is physically unattractive but he was "born" with good characteristics. The conflict arises because the monster is not well received anywhere he goes and his personality and his appearance are constantly in opposition with each other. Frankenstein's creature never stands a chance because he is initially "good" even though he looks as though he would be "bad." In fact, from the moment he was created, he experiences rejection. He never escapes this torture and finally decides that the only way to find peace is through death. From this example, we see that it is hardly fair to assess individuals by their appearance.

Critic Harold Bloom maintains, "The greatest paradox, and most astonishing achievement, of Mary Shelley's novel is that the monster is more human than his creator. This nameless being... is more lovable than his creator and more hateful, more to be pitied and more to be feared, and above all more able to give the attentive reader that shock of added consciousness which compels a heightened realization of the self" (Bloom). This idea becomes the driving force of the novel and becomes one of its major concepts. Indeed, the monster is judged solely by his outward appearance. He is first rejected by Frankenstein, his maker. When he stumbles across the hut in the woods and opens the door, the old man seated inside "shrieked loudly, and quitting the hut, ran across the fields with a speed of which his debilitated form hardly appeared capable" (Shelley 90). After some sleep, the monster wakes refreshed and takes leave for the fields. While he is rejuvenated and feels well, his good mood is dampened by the reaction of the villagers. Upon the creature entering a cottage, one woman faints and a group of children shriek. When the villagers see him, they attack the creature until he escapes into the open country "grievously bruised by stones and many kinds of missile weapons" (91). He also learns very quickly not to interact with humans because of his treatment from the villagers. Everything the creature knows up until this point is rejection and an individual can endure so much rejection before it begins to make an impact on him or her.

However, how the monster looks is only a small part of who he is. He is much more attractive on the inside than he is on the outside and that is from where the conflict arises. Diane Johnson says that the monster is "naturally good until he is embittered by his contact with human society and by learning" (Johnson xiii). The creature wants to connect with people and form relationships but the people he wants to connect with are the very ones that drive him away. He becomes endeared to the De Lacey family even before he knows who they are. He looks at them with wonder, notices their "gentle manners" (Shelley 95), and wants to be with them. While he is afraid to interact with them, he still watches them intently learning all that he can. The creature even learns kindness from the De Lacey family. While he watches them eat dinner, he notices that sometimes the "younger cottagers" (96) gave their food to the blind man. The creature admits, "this trait of kindness moved me sensibly" (96). It moves him so much that he cannot take food from them for himself because he knows that it would cause them to be hungry. Instead, he decides to do things to help the family such as gathering wood and leaving it at the door for them to find in the morning. He comes to refer to them as his "beloved cottagers' (112) and when he finally decides to approach them, he is met with "horror and consternation" (119). Felix even proceeds to beat the monster with a stick. Instead of tearing Felix apart "limb by limb" (120) the creature retreats. Here we see how the creature has a good heart. The monster cannot fully comprehend why people are reacting to him the way they do just yet and admits that he is miserable from the "barbarity of man" (91). Rejection takes its toll on the creature and he reaches a point where he cannot deal with it anymore.