Light In Frankenstein

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Recommended: The knowledge of the novel frankenstein

In literature, authors often use symbolism to give a deeper meaning to their work. A symbol is one thing that represents another. In “Frankenstein”, the author, Mary Shelley, uses symbolism in order to get her audience to think deeper into her story. Fire and light are both reoccurring symbols throughout “Frankenstein”.
Light is used as a symbol of knowledge. Like Walton, Victor hopes to be able to discover things about natural philosophy, and especially physiology, that will increase his knowledge of science. While he sets to work in his pursuit to create life, he comments: “Life and death appeared to me ideal bounds, which I should first break through, and pour a torrent of light into our dark world” (Shelley 37). This light that he speaks …show more content…

He states one of his main objectives in creating being that “A new species would bless me as its creator”. The symbolism of fire spoken of earlier applies well to his knowledge of creating life. Like the gift of fire, he has been given a great gift of creation to use as he pleases, but a condition of this power is that it must be used wisely. When his reasons for making a human are for glory and self-gain, there are natural consequences that he does not see until it is too late. He does not take into account the negative impact his creation will have if not carefully controlled and the results planned out. The ultimate failure of his aspirations to create life is a result of what happens when knowledge is put to use for wrong …show more content…

He sees the creature during a thunderstorm and describes his surprising discovery: “A flash of lightning illuminated the object, and discovered its shape plainly to me; […] it was the wretch, the filthy daemon to whom I had given life”. The analogy of a fire's ability to both give light and burn you gives this scene more meaning as Victor is confronted with the reality of his actions. He finally realizes the consequences of his actions as he laments: “I had turned loose into the world a depraved wretch, whose delight was in carnage and misery”. The fire he has created is no longer a possible source of light for Victor, but a burning anguish for letting a monster loose on the

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