Monster Wins Reader's Sympathy

                                                                   By Christy Knorr

In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley combines three separate stories involving three different characters--Walton, Victor, and
Frankenstein's monster. Though the reader is hearing the stories through Walton's perspective, Walton strives for accuracy in
relating the details, as he says, "I have resolved every night,...to record, as nearly as possible in his [Victor's] own words, what
he has related during the day" (Shelley 37). Shelley's shift in point of view allows for direct comparison and contrast between
the characters, as the reader hears their stories through the use of first person. As the reader compares the monster's
circumstances to those of Victor and Walton, the reader's sympathy for the monster greatly increases.

First of all, Victor and Walton made decisions that resulted in their misfortunes. Victor chose to create the being who would
later destroy him and those he loved. He made the decision to give this being life without considering the possible consequences
of creating life. Victor led himself to his own destruction. He had decisions--he didn't have to make the monster in the first
place; he could have accepted and educated the monster; he could have fulfilled his promise to the monster regarding the
creation of a female mate. However, Victor chose none of these options. Therefore, he must pay for the consequences of his
decisions and actions (or lack thereof).

Just as Victor chose to create the monster, Walton chose to conduct a voyage to the North Pole. Though Walton suffered
extreme loneliness, fatigue, hunger, and severe cold temperatures, these misfortunes were all the result of his own decision. He
also felt that his purpose was worth experiencing deprivation of food, warmth, and companionship. Walton writes, "I had rather
die than return shamefully,--my purpose unfulfilled" (Shelley 179). Thus, Walton chose to suffer, rather than head back home.
Because these characters had choices, the reader's sympathy for them decreases.

The monster, however, had no control over his misfortunes. He was brought into the world with no one to give him knowledge,
support, and guidance. He was completely deserted by his creator. When he tried to make friends, everyone either ran away
from him or tried to kill him. When he saved a little girl from drowning, he was shot. He provided firewood daily for the De
Lacey family, and they regarded him as "good spirit, wonderful" (Shelley 102). Yet when they saw this "good spirit," they
deserted their house and the monster and never came back. The being was given no choices regarding these incidents. His
rejection and misfortune was not caused by his actions, but rather his appearance, a physical trait that he cannot change. The
monster's problem is that he is ugly--deformed. He did not choose to be physically deformed. He was created that way by
Victor. Thus, Victor is ultimately responsible for the being's rejection. The reader becomes more sympathetic to the monster as
s/he recognizes the monster's helplessness, which is in direct contrast with the self-induced problems of Victor and Walton.

Though all three character were obsessed with particular goals, Victor's and Walton's goals were purely for the sake of
personal glory. Walton asked Margaret in his letter, "do I not deserve to accomplish some great purpose? My life might have
been passed in ease and luxury; but I preferred glory to every enticement that wealth place in my path" (Shelley 27). Walton
wanted to "tread a land never before imprinted by the foot of man" so that he could be written down as one of the great leaders
in history (Shelley 26). His motives were personal--to attain glory. Victor made a similar statement regarding glory. Victor told
Walton, "Wealth was an inferior object, but what glory would attend the discovery, if I could banish disease from the human
frame, and render man invulnerable to any but a violent death" (Shelley 45). Both characters were concerned with the glory
associated with their achievements.

Unlike the quests of Victor and Walton, the monster's goal did not involve glory in any way. His only goal in life was to have a
companion. The being said to Victor, "I demand a creature of another sex, but as hideous as myself; the gratification is small,
but it is all that I can receive, and it shall content me" (Shelley 125). When Victor agrees to create this female companion and
then tears it to pieces in front of the monster's eyes, the reader sympathizes with the monster's loss and betrayal. The monster's
request was modest and reasonable, yet he was not even granted that. Even Victor felt "there was some justice in his argument"
(Shelley 125). Regardless, the monster was unable to gain the support to achieve his goal: companionship that Victor and
Walton take for granted.

Victor and Walton both had the support and encouragement of many people. First of all, both characters had female
confidantes to whom they wrote. Victor received letters from Elizabeth that offered him hope, security, and encouragement.
Walton asked his female confidante, Mrs. Saville, his sister, to "continue for the present to write to me by every opportunity; I
may receive your letters on some occasions when I need them most to support my spirits" (Shelley 31). Walton also had the
companionship and support from merchants, seamen, masters and lieutenants. He was by no means alone. Victor received not
only support and encouragement but unconditional love. Victor stated that "No human being could have passed a happier
childhood than myself" (Shelley 43). Elizabeth encouraged him to "return to us. You will find a happy cheerful home, and friends
who love you dearly" (Shelley 63). Clerval even saved Victor's life as he restored him back to health immediately after Victor
created the monster. Later, Victor's farther saved his life as he cared for him and rescued him from the institution. Someone
always supported and cared for Victor, just as people always supported and cared for Walton.

Unlike Victor and Walton, the monster was completely alone. His own creator could not tolerate the sight of him and deserted
him. He was left with nobody. The monster explained that he was a "poor, helpless, miserable wretch; I knew, and could
distinguish, nothing" (Shelley 93). He had to discover survival, language and knowledge alone. Every time he tried to befriend
someone, he was rejected. This is particularly tragic because the monster's only desire was companionship. He even vowed
that "if any being felt emotions of benevolence towards me, I should return them hundred and an hundred fold" (Shelley 125).
Because of the monster's intense desire for companionship accompanied by his unalterable state of loneliness, the reader feels
sorry for the monster. These feelings of sympathy for the monster are further heightened through the contrast of the support that
Victor and Walton received. The monster's situation is far more tragic than those of Victor and Walton.

Shelley devotes the majority of the novel to Victor's story. The monster is brought into the story as a secondary character--as
an obstacle to Victor's happiness. It appears as if Victor is presented as the tragic hero. Since the stories are stated through the
voice of Walton, his character is given increased significance. The monster's story is given limited attention. This implies that the
monster's suffering is less important than that of Victor. Once again, the monster is getting short-changed. The reader gets more
of a sense of the monster as he is seen through others' eyes--biased eyes. Naturally, Victor cannot view the monster as good,
because the monster has killed Victor's loved ones. Because Walton regarded Victor as someone whom "should have been
happy to have possessed as the brother of my heart," it is unlikely that Walton would regard the monster in positive terms
(Shelley 35). Despite these characters' contempt for the monster, the monster still evokes sympathy from them. Though Victor
detests the monster, he is "moved" by his story and calls him "a creature of fine sensations" (Shelley 125). When the monster
relates his story to Walton, Walton is "touched by the expressions of his misery" (Shelley 183). If Victor and Walton can
sympathize with the monster, despite their bias, certainly the reader will as well.

Shelley's use of three narrators encourages a direct comparison between the main characters of Frankenstein: Victor, Walton,
and the monster, as the reader hears each narrator's personal accounts. While Victor and Walton possess similar qualities, the
monster serves as a contrast to their selfish motives. The reader ultimately become sympathetic to the monster as s/he
compares the being's sufferings and helplessness to the self-induced tragedies of Victor and Walton.

         Literary Criticism