- For Victor, the Monster's arguments are so convincing that he agrees to the demands at first. What reason(s) does he use for reversing his original decision?
- Is it completely a rational decision? Whether your opinion is 'yes' or 'no' elaborate with textual support. Again, do not use quotations that anyone else has used.
Due: Monday, November 30
20 comments:
At first, Victor was very motivated to create a she-monster companion for his first creation; he decides not to continue his work after analyzing the events in the mountains with his monster. He came up with a very good point arguing that if his first creature could think and analyze and structure a point, what assures him his second one would be different? He expresses this thought when he says (or thinks) “He had sworn to quit the neighborhood of man and hide himself in the deserts, but she had not;” (Shelley 170). And he did make a fantastic point here; the monster had proved to be intelligent and malignant so there was no reason to believe the she-monster would be any different plus, who was the monster to decide her fate? She had the same amount of rights to do as she pleased, so it would only pose a problem in my opinion.
I do believe it is a completely rational decision because he cannot stand another of his malignant creations to go around and roam Earth freely. Victor won’t take another chance and I believe he did well in destroying the future she-monster he was building because as he thought, neither Frankenstein nor the monster have any control over the new creature, and she could’ve done greater harm as Victor says. Although the monster is a threat, in my opinion Victor should take care of the monster before he does anything to the Frankenstein’s. Worse, as the monster says that he “will be with you [Victor] on your [Victor’s] wedding-night” (Shelley 174). This is a direct threat but I believe that Victor made the right decision, protecting more human beings from a second threat, even if sacrifices have to be made.
At the point in time when Victor decides to destroy his second creation, I think he finally realizes that he is creating a full and capable human being with a mind of its own. He decides to break his promise to the monster by not creating a mate for him based on the facts that the original monster was capable of making decisions for himself and knew what he wanted in his own life and who was to say the second monster would be any different. Both could hold a hatred for mankind. His other conclusion that he came to was that if he created a mate for the monster that haunted his life, together they would create a family that would haunt the Frankensteins for generations to come and his family would never be rid of the mistake he made.
I don't think this was a rational decision because even though Victor takes into account the possibility of the monster revenging his anger on Elizabeth, Clerval and his father and knows that his own death will not satisfy the monster's rage, "I looked upon the sea; it was to be my grave...I thought of Elizabeth, of my father and of Clerval-all left behind, on whom the monster might satisfy his sanguinary and merciless passions."(Shelley 177) Victor does not think of a logical way that he can satisfy the wants of the monster and protect his family at the same time. Victor is afraid of the two monsters having children, “and yet one of the first results of those sympathies would be children…” (Shelley 171) and yet he does not think of a way of still creating a companion for the monster who is incapable of having children. Frankenstein knows that he is physically unable to defeat this creature and yet he knows the monster’s desires. It seems that a more rational action would be to use those desires against the monster as a way to ensure the safety of his family.
In the begging of chapter 17, Victor is swayed by the monster’s eloquence and agrees to create a companion of the female sex in order to soothe the monster’s loneliness. The monster persuades Victor by telling him that every lamentable and inhumane action that he had committed until now was a result of his obligated seclusion and shunning from society.
In the process of his new creation, Victor’s begins to hesitate whether he should comply with the monster’s demands. He is very inquisitive on the consequences that this new monster might bring. He begins to wonder if the monster’s relation with his new companion will be one of success and even if this creation is one that allows victor to live a life of tranquility, he ponders what tribulations this new creation might bring into the life of others. During this tedious procedure, Victor trembled and his “heart failed” him (Shelley, 171) when he realized that the possible results of the monster’s “sympathies for which [he] thirsted, would be children, and a race of devils would be propagated on earth” (Shelley, 171). After considering this ghastly notion, he decides to bring to a halt the creation of this second fiend.
I believe that Victor’s decision is completely rational because he has no insurance that the monster’s companion will in fact like the monster or will react as the monster hope that she will. Victor’s creation is based on the idea that this new fiend’s reaction to the world around would be that the Victor hoped it would. And even she will remain as an enigma, It is a chance the Victor cannot take (this can be assimilated to another path of no return that Victor decides not to follow). But the main reason as to why I support his decision is when Victor reminds us that “three years before, [he] was engaged in the same manner and had created a fiend whose unparalleled barbarity had desolated his heart and filled it forever with the bitterest remorse” (Shelley, 170). I can imagine what would have happened if this new creation would have followed the same path that his previous creation had. I believe that if this were to have happened, it would have undoubtedly resulted in Victor’s demise and that of his loved ones.
With his tale's of the DeLacey family and the constant rejection the monster has he convinces Victor to create a female monster so he will feel loved. The monster blames all his wretchedness on the fact that he is alone and unwanted. The only thing he seeks is acceptance, but, however, how can he be accepted when his appearance is repulsive and hideous? This question dwells in the back of the monster's mind constantly and he concludes that only if he has a female monster will he experience the emotions he saw within the DeLacey family. Appealing to Victor's sensitive and comprehensive side he persuades him to create a female monster under the condition that he will then leave and never come back.
Victor resumes his studies and stars to create this daemon. Yet half-way through the process of creation he realizes that the deal is only with the creature. The female creature could reject the established condition and kill all in her path. "Shall I, in cool blood, set loose upon the earth a daemon, whose delight is in death and wretchedness? Begone! I am firm, and your words will only exasperate my rage. (Shelley 174)" He realizes the danger that his creation might have upon humanity and concludes that he will not create the female monster. Victor even mentions that one of the possibilities is that together both monsters could destroy humanity, after all they are stronger, faster, and virtually invincible, taking into account how the monster survived a bullet wound. In the end Victor's decision is based on the fact that he will not cause more pandemonium and he forfeits the monsters demand to protect humanity from grave danger.
eThe creature expresses various arguments that explain his previous cruel behaviour. He admits that it is because of loneliness that he has felt so confused and deprived from love. Although the monster almost convinces Victor to create a she-monster that would keep him company: "Shall each man find a wife for his bosom, and each beast have his mate, and I be alone?" (Shelley 173), after some deep reflection and half way through his creation, Frankestein realizes that this is not the best solution. "Begone! I do break my promise; never will I create another like yourself, equal in deformity and wickedness." (Shelley 172) How can he be sure that this second creature will not turn out to be even more powerful and dangerous than the first? How can he be sure that by setting loose a female monster she won't go after his family just like the first one did? All these unanswered questions lead Victor to destroy the first pieces of his second puzzle.
I do believe his decision to be a completely rational one because although a companion might release the monster from such horrid feelings and thoughts, Victor did not manage to control his first creation so how can he be sure that the second one will be different? By destroying his second monster, Victor is protecting his family and other humans from the cruelness of such creatures. "Had I right, for my own benefit, to inflict this curse upon everlasting generations? I had before been moved by the sophisms of the being I had created; I had been struck senseless by the fiendish threats; but now, for the first time, the wickedness of my promise burst upon me; I shuddered to think that future ages might curse me as their pest" (Shelley 171). Victor does not want to make the same mistake as before and is afraid that such a creation might have negative consequences on his surroundings.
At the begining of this interval, Victor is convinved to help tyhe monster. He decides to grant his petition of creating a companion for the monster. Tjhe monster appeals to his sense of responsability because he is ultimately like a God-creator figure to the monster. Howevers, as he works on his creation, Frankestein has time to ponder especially about the morality of his actions. Ultimatley he reaches the conclusion that makes him stop his work in progress. "I shuddered to think that future ages would curse me as their pest,whose selfishness had not hesitated to buy its own peace at the price, perhaps, of the existence of the whole human race" (shelly 171). He understands that with the creation of a female companion, the monsters would probably reproduce and have children. Even though this would lead to his peace and mean that the mosnter would no longer haunt him, he understood that he had a responsibility with the world and its population. Ultimately this is a greater weight to carry than the burden of his haunting. Therefore he decides not to create the female monster even though he had promised to do so.
I agree with Victors decision completely. This is mainly because he had already seen the damage the monster had done on the world. It would be mere irresponsability to be oblivious to the fact that this monster is a threat just to find peace within himself. Looking it in a diferent perspective, I also believe that Victor was playing to immitate God by taking into his hands the liberty of creating people. In a more religious point of view, it is incorrect to pretend that he can decide over the future of living things. I think this is ultimately Shellys redemption for the moraly incorrect priotagonist. This was we can see that even though he feels responsible for this creation and he sufers under the guilt of the monsters misfortunes, he understands that he has a greater responsability with the rest of the world.
Victor is convinced by the monster's effective use of ethos, pathos and logos, to create a partner for him. He does this rather resigned, with a cloud of misery hanging around him. Victor acquiesces in order to fulfill his duties as the creator and to get rid of the monster; however, his spirits fail and his mind is not set upon the task as was the first time. One afternoon in his cottage, Victor thinks that he should not create the monster since the she-creature may be evil like the monster; she may also have a will of her own and not agree with the monster's decision to live in South America. The she-monster could also reject the monster in favor of men. If she agreed to leave with him and inhabit in South America- the monsters would surely want children "who might make the very existence of the species of man a condition precarious and full of terror" (Shelley 171).
Ironically, Victor disguises his selfishness and fear as a concern for the common good- Victor stops to consider others as an excuse for his fear and his unwillingness to create another monster- he is afraid of being a creator of two monsters.
I think that Victor's reaction is irrational since he does it out of fear- his train of thought is distorted by the sight of the monster outside his window. Victor destroys the she-monster in an attack of fury towards his former mistakes for he "thought with a sensation of madness on my promise of creating another like to him, and trembling with passion, tore to pieces the thing on which i was engaged" (Shelley 171). Victor destroys the she-monster blinded by fear and pain and hatred towards the creature, without thinking over his decision. It is as if he refused to consider the consequences of his actions, acting like a stubborn little boy who is driven by whim.
Victor wanted to create the female monster because he believed that if he were to make it, then the first monster would lvea with her for good and leave him in peace. However, he started having second doubts about making the monster. This was because the first monster had desolated his heart an filled in with bitterest remorse. He also didn't know if the female monster would do as the monster had said she would and would probably not follow the plans and mess everything up for both the monster and Victor. He also didnt want the monsters to procreate because they would start a generation of monsters that would terrify the planet. "I left the room, and, locking the door, made a solemn vow in my own heart never to resume my labours; and then, with trembling steps, I sought my own apartment. I was alone; none were near me to dissipate the gloom, and relieve me from the sickening oppression of the most terrible reveries"(Shelley). Because of the several reasons mentioned above, Victor decides never to create another monster, and he is haunted by the monster because of his decision.
At this point in the story, the monster is consumed by rejection and loneliness that he asks Victor to create a female version of him so he can share some of the same feelings. He is very powerful in persuading him, " I am content to reason with you. I am malicious because I am miserable...(Shelley 147). Yet after hearing all his fairly reasonable arguments, Frankenstein realizes that creating another monster could bring far more dangers to human society. He knows how much the monster wants to be loved by humans and knows the dangers he can caus whn this love is not corresponded. "You will return to seek thir kindness, and you will meet with their detestation; your evil passions will be renewed and you will then have a companion that will aid you in the task of destruction (Shelley 149). AFter analyzing all the potential dangers that can come from creating another creature, Victor finally decides to go against the monster's wishes and denies him the confort of having someone who was like him.
This decision, although unfair to th monster, is completly rational since it is what guarantees the safety of humans. Victor would've been highly irresponsible if he would've allowed another creature of similar magnitude to roam around the Earth since it could generate many problms like the monster did.
From the moment Victor consented to create the creature a companion, it was obvious he felt an urging hatred and distress with what he had agreed to do create but he felt the need to do it for the sale of his family “and so to save them, I resolved myself to dedicate myself to my most abhorred task “( shelley 152). For the couple oh years he worked on the project the feeling that what he was doing was wrong persisted, and finally he came up with the with several excuses to top this madness. Victor said that I might e possible that the female creature would become a reasonable thinking creature as his first regret and coul reject the idea of seclusion. Second he deducted form the fear of the original creature for rejection that what if the female rejected him, he would go insane and perform yet another killing spree. Last as a great scientists he looked into the future, and thought in the nature of reproduction and judgingly suggested that if they were to reproduce, their offsprings would become evil and insane and evil as the creature did bringing horror to humanity.
I believe victor decision is no completely rational, although some of the reasons is based on personal experience. These reasons are rooted on feelings of guilt and fear that consumed him at the beginning due to the two innocent deaths, and is trying to find an excuse to cease those self-destructive feelings. He comes up with some possible outcomes, in order to give them enough good reasons to make him stop, but he purposely makes hasty generalizations instead of giving the creature a chance he had promised to give. You can notice these unfair and purposely made excuses when he uses the word “ might” right before the beginning of each excuse. “they might even”, “she also might turn”, “she also might quit him” (shelley 170). Victor infers every possible negative burden that might all upon him thus showing once again his egocentricity, he is more worried about the toll it will take on him than the others. His rationale is based on fears, and fear isn’t a good catalyst for good decisions, victor must do what its right for the creature and society and not give petty excuses to get rid of what after all he had created.
The monster asks Victor to create "eve" for him since the monster feels miserable, rejected, and alone. "You must create a female for me with whom I can live in the interchange of those sympathies necessary for my being" (Shelly147). The monster convinces Victor by telling him to make him happy and that he will take her to "the vast wilds of South America" (shelly 149) and that they will live away from humans and live in peace. After telling Victor some good reasons to create another monster, Victor finally agrees. Victor agrees but later he states that he became the slave of his creature and that his only hope was that the "fiend would follow [him] and exempt [his] family from the danger of [the monster's] machinations." (shelly 157).
Meanwhile Victor worked on the new creation, he felt the "obscure foreboding of evil that made [his] heart sicken in [his] bosom" (shelly 169). Victor reflects his decision and rethinks and comes up with the idea that "she might become ten thousand times more malignant than her mate and delight, for its own sake, in murder and wretchedness" (shelly 170). Victor keeps thinking what if the she monster refuse to comply with the creature. Victor is terrified with the thought of his monsters creating and spreading more monsters and putting man kind to danger. Victor decides to destroy the almost complete new creation. I think his decision is irrational since Victor didn't think about how this new decision will affect his family and the consequences and the chaos that will result later. Victor just decided to destroy the she monster due to impulse created by "the ghastly grin" and the monster's "countenance expressed the utmost extent of malice and treachery" (shelly171). Victor's decision is irrational since he did not think about the devilish revenge of the creature.Driven by rage, misery, and despair due to the monster, Victor's decision is completely irrational thus will bring future misery.
At first, Victor marginally understands his responsability to the creature and accepts to create a female one so that he will feel content and satisfied with someone who loves him. Mainly of course, he does it to get rid of the "horrid" creature, but in the end both would be in a winning situation. AFter months of putting the endeavor off, he begins to consider the possibility of not actually building the new creature. He uses her "morality" as an excuse. He knows that the existing creature has promised not to show himself again and to go into exile in the desserts of the world- but the new creature has not and is therefore under no obligation to comply with such a proimise. Also, he claims that "they might also hate each other: the creaute who already lived loathed his opwn deformity".(Shelley 170).
After agreeing to come through with the monster's demands, Frankenstein decides to betray him by not creating the monster's companion. He makes this decision because He "thought with a sensation of madness on my promise of creating another like him, and trembling with passion, tore to pieces the thing on which I was engaged" (Shelley 171)and believed that it would be the worst decision he would make.
I do think his decision making was accurate and he made a good decision in destroying the monster he was creating because, as he said, it would be stupid to unleash and equally monstrous being into the world. "Shall I, in cold blood, set loose upon the earth a demon whose delight is in death and wretchedness? Begone!" (Shelley 173. If there was already one of his creations which was tormenting him, what good would come from another? He did not know for sure that the woman would be happy to live with the creature, so there was no security as to her happiness with the creature. Also, Shelley has not mentioned this, but I think that it could be very likely that they could breed!
Victor reverses his decision to help the monster for many reasons. He fear that the new monster he creates might be more sadic than the one he has already unleashed to the world, he also fears that the monsters could have children who could become a threat as well. This is a completely rational decision, for as Victor puts it "Shall I, in cool
blood, set loose upon the earth a daemon whose delight is
in death and wretchedness?" (Shelley 128); a rational mind would not let loose a creature knowing full well that it is capable of such evil.
At first, Victor marginally understands his responsability to the creature and accepts to create a female one so that he will feel content and satisfied with someone who loves him. Mainly of course, he does it to get rid of the "horrid" creature, but in the end both would be in a winning situation. AFter months of putting the endeavor off, he begins to consider the possibility of not actually building the new creature. He uses her "morality" as an excuse. He knows that the existing creature has promised not to show himself again and to go into exile in the desserts of the world- but the new creature has not and is therefore under no obligation to comply with such a proimise. Also, he claims that "they might also hate each other: the creaute who already lived loathed his opwn deformity".(Shelley 170).
I could accept that Frnakenstein's decision is rational- it does follow a logical pattern of thought. It does make sense to be wary of the new creature partly because she has not promised anything and may even be malignant of nature- the danger IS present because frankenstein is apparently in the business of creating thinking and feeling intelligent beings- the sum of the parts is greater than the actual dead body parts. The problem is that Victor is merely looking for an excuse out of his commitment with the "beast." His reason for finding a reason (as redundant as that sounds) to stop creating the female counterpart of the creature is that he is scared, really. All his alleged reasons are really excuses he wants and consequently finds to justify his breaking of a promise. An example of this is when he says that "one of the first results of those sympathies for which the demos thirsted would be children, and a race of devils would be propagated upon the earth." The demon has demonstrated that he hates his creator (he could love him if he made him a wifey) and therefore would most probably be uninclined to create creatures such as himself- whom he despises so deeply. He hates the fact that he was given life (everyne hates him- these sentiments are understandable) so he probably would not want to give life to any other miserable wretches (of course they would not be AS miserable as he is now- alone, but he has enough sense not to reproduce-I believe).
MANUEL CALVILLO
Victor accepts the creature's demands because of the creature's appeal to logical arguments such as that with a female companion he will feel no need for revenge anymore and he promises to go away from Europe with its companion. Victor feels moved by his arguments even though he feels that the creature will always be evil just from the moment Victor looks at it.
While Victor is working on his creation, he realizes that he can curse humanity by creating another monster. He thought about the future, about how his creation would affect future generations. He thought about how the creature might reproduce and a pest would be unleashed and he didn't want to be remember as the creator of this pest. This affects him to such an extent that he tears to pieces his new work "and locking the door, made a solemn vow in my own heart never to resume my labours" (Shelley 171). He is so terrified about what he can do to others and about what evil he is about to impulse which can fill the world with terror.
Yes it is rational because Victor gets afraid of what might become of the future female monster. He cannot predict his behavior. He cannot predict if the female will be good or bad. Victor's dearest people will suffer for this, so will Victor, but I think that his decision is based upon what would be the greater good.
Victor when he first encounters the creature does not even want to speak to him. After consenting to hearing the story he is convinced by the creature that he has a duty to him as his master to make him happy. The creature argued that what he asked was "reasonable and moderate" (Shelley 148); he demanded "a creature of another sex, but as hideous" (Shelley 148) as himself. In the middle of his work Victor realizes he does not want to continue in creating another monster. To justify himself, he says that he cannot make another creature because he does not know what she will want. Victor does not know if she will consent to being put away in the forest away from all society alone with another creature. The monster cannot foretell what the other will actually want and think, therefore he could not promise things for her in advance. I think it is a rational decision. Each person or creature is unique and have a different way of thinking and different opinions. The new monster could definitely be apposed to being hidden away and thus creating a bigger danger to the world. He also argued to himself that to create another creature would be an "act of the basest and most atrocious selfishness" (Shelley 176). I think that his decision is rational. Unlike the last time he created a creature, he is thinking about the consequences it would bring to him and the world. He is thinking ahead and trying to make a better decision. In some way i think he was trying to protect his family and himself from any more harm.
Greeted at first with bewilderment and rage, the monster’s request is eventually agreed to by Victor. Frankenstein takes it upon himself to churn out another equally repulsive creature and begins this arduous task despite his doubts. He eventually decides against completing the female counterpart to the monster that had caused him so much grief, and in doing so opened the door to further suffering.
Frankenstein made the decision to destroy his work through logical and well thought-out arguments. He believed that the new creature could be equally monstrous as his first creation, not only in appearance but also in its tendency toward causing suffering. He is also worried that they could reproduce, and the possibilities of a race of monsters inhabiting the earth, all stemming from his two original creations. He also believes he has no reason to trust the monster because it has already demonstrated it is capable of horrible deeds: “You swear to be harmless; but have you not already shown a degree of malice that might reasonably make me distrust you?”
I believe Victor’s decision is rational, especially when he bases himself on past experience with the monster. His initial reaction (destroying the female half-way through, in view of his enemy) was a bad idea though. This only enrages the beast, and leads to another death which Victor would have done well to avoid.
Frankenstein reverses his decision because he realizes that the monster has agreed on not being evil, but the female monster has not so he cant expect the female monster to follow the promise. Not only can he not trust someone who has not been born yet but also he cannot trust someone who has killed an innocent child. Frankenstein realizes the potential threat it would be to society if these creatures go wild and or have descendants. Something that has always worried Frankenstein is his reputation, so he will not put it on risk by creating not one, but two monstrous creatures. Also he created the first creature because he was very into science at that moment, but now after what he has suffered because of the monster he cant bare creating another one. “During my first experiment, a kind of enthusiastic frenzy had blinded me to the horror of my employment; my mind was intently fixed on the consummation of my labour… but now I went to it in cold blood…” (Shelley 169)
I don’t believe that Frankenstein’s decision was rational because he had already agreed and promised the monster and he was well aware of the effects that it would bring if he stepped back. The monster warned him of what he would do if he did not comply with the promise. It is ironic and irrational because he didn’t want to create another monster because it could bring more danger to humanity, but he did not think of what the monster could do because he failed to do the female, he could go crazy and kill everyone because he is furious at Frankenstein. “Beware, for I am fearless and therefore powerful… Man, you shall repent of the injuries you inflict.“ (Shelley 173) Instead of avoiding danger to himself and to others, he is provoking it, by angering the monster.
You can see that from the very moment Victor accepts to create a mate for the creature that he is not completly convinced even after all the creature has told him. Once he is working on it he starts to see all the mistakes within the arrengment he had made with the creature, that was the biggest problem he had only made the arrengment with one creature, once he creates the other one that one didn't agree at any point to not be violent or to move away from Europe "...and she, who was in all probability was to become a thinking and reasoning animal, might refuse to comply with a compact made before her creation." Victor would once again put people in danger. I think his reasoning was rational, he had no idea what the new creature would like to do with its life, there is a chance she might be peaceful and will agree to leave europe but why should Victor take the cahnce of putting himself and others at the mercy of the beasts.
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