’s Society Essay, Research Paper
Many of the themes of Frankenstein relate to the life and times of today. Classics such as Frankenstein contain many of the qualities of a timeless book, because people today can still relate with the same issues and problems as the people during Frankenstein’s time. I believe the reason Frankenstein has remained a classic is because so many of the themes still relate to the times of today.
There are many themes I could have chosen from to write this paper about. Science, cruelty, fear, love, revenge, and loneliness are just a handful of the many examples exhibited in this book, and why it still holds the interest of the reader even in present day. I chose to write about the science aspect of the book. I believe it is the most interesting because science is evidently always changing and advancing, yet it still relates with some of the problems Frankenstein encountered during his day.
Many people are very against the ideas of creating a human life, except in the ways nature intended. I believe many people would agree that when something of this nature is done many scientists are in over their head. Frankenstein didn’t know the creature would turn into this monster and kill others, nor did he know the creature would also be as kind and gentle as well. Frankenstein also didn’t consider how society would accept and treat the creature. The creature was not exactly of normal standards, and when someone tries to place a being like that in a normal human environment without any guidance or teaching, then he was certain to be ostracized and punished as many people have throughout history just for being different.
Frankenstein was also related to a significant theme of today, which is cloning. Many people then, as well as now, were against the idea of it. In the wrong hands, or in the hands of someone who was uneducated in this area, problems are bound to arise. For example in Frankenstein’s time he really hadn’t thought this through very much. He was focused on whether or not he could make it happen, and he didn’t think about what he should have been doing if it actually did. Many Scientists today have the same problem, even though times have changed. For example, imagine if someone as evil as Adolf Hitler had gotten his hands on a cloning procedure, and had himself cloned, then there would be some major catastrophe in the world right now. These are just a couple reasons, though from different time periods, in which people are or have been against the idea of creating or cloning human life.
There is one more reason people do not like the idea of forming new life. This would be because it goes against most of the natural laws known, and also it contradicts what many religions preach about how life is really created. Naturally these people would have a hard time supporting the idea of making a new life. This is true even in Frankenstein’s time as well as in the present, because the natural laws and religion have hardly changed or evolved much.
Overall there is a lot of correlation between the concepts and ideas in science then as well as today. Whether Mary Shelley wrote this book in this fashion on purpose, or it was just pure coincidence I have yet to learn. Frankenstein is considered a genuine classic and although the times will always change, I feel this book will still be read and understood for many generations to come because of the book’s everlasting themes.