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Cameron Talley
May 25, 1999
Frankenstein: A Modern Novel?
In Mary Shelly's novel, Frankenstein, the author presents issues such as rejected child syndrome, bio-ethics, and "playing god" which are still highly relevant today. First, the monster reflects the outcome of today's abusive society through rejected child syndrome. When Frankenstein realizes the horror of his creation, he runs away, frightened. The monster hurries to find his father, and "might have spoken, but I did not hear; one hand was stretched out, seemingly to detain me, but I escaped, and rushed down stairs"(52). When the monster searches for love and compassion, he finds none, not even from his creator. Filled with rage, his killing spree begins. Rejected Child Syndrome is a "hot" topic among today's teens and parents. In Littleton, Colorado, a group of boys opened fire on their fellow students, wounding some, killing others. The parents were nowhere to be found. As a result of their rejection from their parents and other students, these boys broke out in violence, just like the monster from 200 years ago. Next, Shelly's questioning of biological ethics pertains to today's controversy on the subject. When he begins his work, Frankenstein "harvested" body parts from the graveyard. Even Frankenstein himself pondered as to whether it was morally correct to use the bodies of the deceased to his advantage. While part of his brain argues for the pursuit of science, the other argues for moral values. As a modern example, in today's labs, female volunteers allow their eggs to be "harvested" so that a couple incapable of conceiving may experience the joy of childbirth. Some justify this by saying the couple has a right to a child, but others believe that God himself has indicated that they should not have a baby. So, bio-ethics is still a strongly debuted topic today. Finally, Frankenstein's "playing god" reverberates the god-like image of today's modern scientist. Frankenstein expresses the wish to create life, a trait most believe only God is capable of. When the Doctor is ready, he "collected the instruments of life around me, that I might infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet"(51). Frankenstein indicates that, for him, the creation of life is so simple that one must only have the right equipment to succeed. He just simply waves his hand in a godly manner, and "poof!" there is life. Today, scientist are still "playing god". In Japan, a group of scientists have discovered how to make robotic brain cells; their goal is to manufacture a small "cat" that would have a brain almost exactly like that of the flesh and blood version. Is it right to imitate God? Do we have that power? Both Frankenstein and the modern scientist seem to believe so, but many do not. Clearly, Mary Shelly offered a glimpse of the future 200 years ago; perhaps we should listen and learn from her characters' actions and prevent them from repeating themselves.
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