Perhaps a Story About Parenthood
In my reading group, some viewed Frankenstein as a story about the relationship between parent and child. Some criticized the Doctor as an irresponsible person for failing to take accountability for the life he brought into the world, while others felt a deep pity for both the Doctor and his nameless creation.
When asked, “What would you have done if you were the Doctor?” I couldn’t answer easily. Even if the question were changed to “How would you feel if you were a parent?” I likely would have struggled to respond. Perhaps it’s because I’ve often felt I lack the “qualifications” to be a parent. I know that raising a life requires more than just a sense of duty.
If I had created a monster, what would I have done? To be honest, I probably would have fled, just like the Doctor. In the novel, he created life not out of affection or love, but for his own social reputation. The creature is described as being very similar to a human. Yet, a human is formed through affection and devotion, not technology. I wonder if the very premise of creating life for one’s own sake already foretells a catastrophic end. Even in the story, the Doctor’s fear of social condemnation is what ultimately turned the creature wicked. The reason the nameless creation came to be called a “monster” originated from the Doctor’s own desires.
The Importance of a Name
“If he’d at least had a name, would the monster have turned out differently?”
When someone said this in the reading group, everyone laughed, but I think everyone secretly agreed. A name carries the expectations of the creator who made me. When a baby is born, parents strive to give them a good name. Why do they put so much effort into it? It is because they imbue the name with the hope and love they feel for the life that came into the world through them.
Our names may be a way for parents to remember the initial preciousness they felt when raising a child, or a sign of affection for the life they brought forth. If you look into the meaning of anyone’s name, you can feel the heart of the parents as they gazed upon that person’s birth.
What if the Doctor had given his creation a name? If he had named him something like “Kindness” or “Help,” perhaps that nameless creature would have been recognized as a person with his own identity, rather than just a monster.