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Who is the most sympathetic character?:After reading Frankenstein

*This is a short in-class essay I wrote in my British literature class in 2018 on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.

Both Victor Frankenstein and his monster made bad choices, endured endless suffering and met a tragic end. However, one can only find their heart leaning towards the monster after reading Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.

 After reading about the monster, it is hard to fear it. Rather, thinking of its experience, it seems like a poor creature that never had the privilege of felling loved. From birth, the monster was met with pain, hatred, and fear. Even before he showed wrong actions, he never received any love or care. His kind actions brought violent, hate ridden reactions. After saving a girl, it got shot and after continuously helping a family out, it got a beating. The monster always dreamt of love, longed for a touch of care but was continuously shunned and attacked.

Of course, it is portrayed as a villain and has committed many unforgivable crimes. However, one has to wonder whether we can hold the monster fully responsible. It is not a blood thirsty demon that goes about killing everybody like how others viewed it. The murders it committed were very specific, not out of devilish desires but out of understandable rage. Victor betrayed it from creation. He didn't do his responsibility, which caused the monster to go through various pains. To the monster, Victor would have been the biggest reason his problems occurred. The monster gave Victor a second chance: to create a partner. Victor didn't comply, causing the monster to be left alone with his rage. The way it chose to show its rage was certainly wrong. However, it never learned how to properly control and express its emotions. As it mentioned in the end, the emotions made it their slave. The monster was kind at heart, trying to help other and feeling immense guilt, pain and regret after showing violent actions. The problem was not the monster itself but how it was treated by Victor, society and its lack of proper care. Although its crimes aren't forgivable, they are understandable and its tragic, painful reasons and life makes the monster more sympathetic.
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