Who Frankenstein's Monster Really Is

Evan Silberstein

Who Frankenstein's Monster Really Is

                                                                 

During our classes reading of Frankenstein, I wanted to find out more on what influenced Mary Shelley to write a gothic novella way before its time. In my research, I found something truly fascinating about what gave Mary Shelley her idea. Most people have thought her novella were influenced from her life, but not directly taken from life events. However, I found that not only is this book written from actual events in her life, but that the monster is a person from her family. Frankenstein's monster is Fanny Imlay, Mary Shelly's sister.

Fanny was born a misfit. In her own wording she says, "a being whose birth was unfortunate". Doesn't that sound a lot like the monster? Also, Fanny was rejected by her father, someone always being favored over her. This is just like how Victor rejected his creation. During her teen years, she had scars on her face from smallpox and everyone thought she was hideous for that, exactly like how the monster was thought to be hideous. Towards the end of her life, Fanny sadly became suicidal and ended up taking her own life. On her suicide note, she tore off her own name. This could be way Mary Shelly never gave the monster its own name. 

Mary Shelly wrote Frankenstein, as a reminder of her sister. Someone who was rejected at birth by her father, rejected by society due to her scars, and finally taking her own life. It is impossible to ignore the parallel's between Fanny Imlay and the monster. Therefore, it is safe to say that the monster in Mary Shelly's Frankenstein is Fanny.