Many great scientific fictions have appeared in the past decades, however, it is no doubt that
Mary Shelley’s most famous work Frankenstein is still the best science fiction even though it has
been over 200 years since the book was first published by a small publishing house in London.
Based on the story itself within the context of the novel, it seems to create only some inspiration
for the ongoing or future scientific development and evoke some critical thinking about the
ethical side of the scientific experiment, however, many readers often neglect the role of the
monster in the novel. Frankenstein is the best science fiction ever because of its fascinating
storyline and depiction of characters in the story and the role of monsters in a large context
which affects how one should think about the nature of life and scientific development in today’s
human society. In other words, Frankenstein serves not only as the greatest science fiction that
ever existed but also as a warning sign to prevent any crazy human desire and unethical
scientific development that tries to trespass the border of possibility. Additionally, it is also used
as a guidebook for people to think and reflect on the nature of life, the future of scientific
development, and ultimately how humans should see their place in this world and the
relationship between humans and nature.
Firstly, the creation of the monster in the book is not based merely on random imagination as
every effect comes from a certain cause. In fact, it was some events that happened in the real
world which provided Mary Shelley with the inspiration to construct such a story and the
monster. In other words, the creation of the monster reveals some facts or events about the real
world we are living in. If one looks back to the events that happened in the year 1816, one can
clearly find that for many people, the year 1816 was quite special because a dramatic climate
shift occurred due to the volcanic eruption. As someone may say, it was a year without summer
since Europe was swept by snow and dark rains. Secondly, the monster serves as a warning
sign to prevent any crazy human desire and unethical scientific development that tries to
trespass the border of possibility. As in the story, the scientist Victor Frankenstein wanted to
bring her dead mother back to life, thus he conducted a crazy experiment that ultimately created
a monster who does not belong to this world. As Cohen argued in his article: “from its position at
the limits of knowing, the monster stands as a warning against exploration of its uncertain
demesnes. The monsters together declare that curiosity is more often punished than rewarded,
that one is better off safely contained within one’s own domestic sphere than abroad, away from
the watchful eyes of the state” (Cohen 12). Thirdly, the relationship between the scientist Victor
Frankenstein and the monster is a metaphor for the relationship between humans and nature,
with the ending of the suicide of the monster, the novel forces humans to rethink themselves in
the context of this world and their relationship with nature itself.
Assignment