Karlenzig Post 2

In Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, the creation of the monster is an analogy for the creation of man, and Adam's loneliness that led to the creation of Eve.. After the monster has successfully persuaded/forced Victor to listen to his story it becomes clear how the monster perceives his creator and the world. The monster is abandoned by Victor due to his hideous appearance and learned to understand the world by himself. Victor is analogous to God and the monster is analogous to Adam, in search of a partner to share his life with. "sorrow only increased with knowledge. Oh, that I had I forever remained in my native wood, nor known nor felt beyond the sensations of hunger, thirst and heat!" (Pg 85). The monster is is receiving his first experience with loneliness. He feels an emptiness inside of him that cannot come from anything but a companion. The monster first learned of how humans interact with each other by watching the daily lives of the "cottagers" (who he learns are Felix, Agatha and the blind father) through a crack in their wall. The monster cannot understand why seeing their anguish gives makes him sad and seeing their pleasure inspires his own. "He raised her, and smiled with such kindness and affection that I felt sensations of a peculiar and overpowering nature: they were a mixture of pain and pleasure, such as I have never experienced, either from hunger or cold, warmth or food; and I withdrew from the window, unable to bear these emotions" (Pg 75.) The monster learning by watching and empathizing with the emotions of the cottagers. Just as Adam asked God to create company for him on earth, the monster asks Victor (who is essentially God to the monster) to create a female monster to keep him company. We will see if the bible story continues and whether Victor keeps his word and creates another monster.