Question
ou participate to support your lucas with text evidence. Should Frankenstein do what the Creature asks him to? Why or why not? [RL.3] square __ __
Solution
4.3
(257 Votes)
Stella
Veteran · Tutor for 10 years
Answer
Whether or not Frankenstein should create a companion for the Creature is a complex moral dilemma with no easy answer. There are compelling arguments for both sides.**Arguments for creating a companion:*** **The Creature's promise of isolation:** The Creature argues that with a companion, he and his mate will vanish into the wilderness of South America, never to bother humanity again. This offers Frankenstein the possibility of ending the cycle of violence and protecting his remaining loved ones. This is supported by the Creature's words: "I swear…that I will quit the neighborhood of man, and dwell, as it may chance, in the most savage of places. My companion shall be of the same nature as myself, and will be content with the same fate. We shall make our bed in some obscure Indian forest, and there, if death sooner overtake us not, shall we end our miserable existence" (Shelley, Chapter 17).* **Compassion for the Creature's loneliness:** The Creature's eloquence and evident suffering evoke sympathy. He argues that his isolation and rejection have driven him to violence. A companion would alleviate this loneliness and potentially curb his destructive tendencies. He states, "I am alone, and miserable; man will not associate with me; but one as deformed and horrible as myself would not deny herself to me. My companion must be of the same species, and have the same defects. This being you must create" (Shelley, Chapter 17).**Arguments against creating a companion:*** **The danger of a new species:** Frankenstein fears the potential consequences of creating a race of creatures. They might reproduce, becoming a threat to humanity. He worries about the unknown: "A race of devils would be propagated upon the earth, who might make the very existence of the species of man a condition precarious and full of terror" (Shelley, Chapter 20).* **The Creature's untrustworthiness:** Despite the Creature's promises, Frankenstein has reason to doubt his sincerity. The Creature has already broken promises and committed terrible acts. There's no guarantee he will keep his word about isolating himself. Frankenstein reflects, "Had I right, for my own benefit, to inflict this curse upon everlasting generations?" (Shelley, Chapter 20).* **The potential for the female creature's unhappiness:** Frankenstein also considers the potential suffering of the female creature. He worries that she might not want the life the Creature envisions for her, or that the Creature might mistreat her.Ultimately, Frankenstein decides against creating a companion, driven primarily by fear of the unknown consequences and a distrust of the Creature. Whether this was the right decision is left to the reader to ponder.