Nature vs. Nurture in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

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Nature (our genes) and nurture (our environment) affect our individual differences in behavior and personality. In the novel Frankenstein, Mary Shelley addresses the conflict of nature vs. nurture. Victor Frankenstein creates a "child" whom he abandons upon birth. This brings up questions such as, was the creature genetically inclined to be evil, or did the hostility he encountered turn him evil? Are one's surroundings determined by who they become later in life? Does nurture form one's characteristics that will determine who someone is later in life? Mary Shelley used these questions as an approach to show that the monster is intelligent, but destructive, and had guilt due to his environment and isolation. The monster’s guilt due to its environment made it dangerous to begin with. Each of the sources will discuss the argument of nature vs. nurture, and how they are all connected. Nature is the different influences that contribute to affecting someone’s life and Nurture is the emotional interactions and isolations that affect someone. The Monster's isolation from society expresses a person's traits which are affected more by his or her environment that by nature.
Nurture is the environment in which a person is surrounded by and grown in. The Monster in Frankenstein does not fight his assailants, proving his innocence, purity, and good intentions. This can be used in contrast with his actions, feelings, and intentions later in the novel. The monster explains, “The whole village was roused; some fled, some attacked me, until, grievously bruised by stones and many other kinds of missile weapons...” (Shelley 93-94). He faces violence towards him and as his environment worsens, especially after his encounter with the DeLaceys, he beg...

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...s process.
QUOTE PAGE 480: Frankenstein attempts to master nature and obtain enlightenment which confirms that nature is the true problem because if Frankenstein had not went against nature to create a monster, this wouldn't have occurred.
QUOTE PAGE 478 Beats also mentions Frankenstein's "Enlightenment" which leads to the destruction of the feminine principal of nature, because the author believes since the monster wasn't given birth to, the monster is figuratively killing nature.
Nature always takes the unnatural which is why the monster returned to nature ---"swallowing up among the ice-floes of the north." Once the monster returns back to nature, he begs to be put out of its misery which is an example of how nature was what made it to be a good because he was created as such, but the lack of nurture is what changed the actual monster and caused it to kill.

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