Frankenstein
Mary Shelley
Pages 81-104
"I shall relate events, that impressed me with feelings which, from what I had been, have made me what I am," (Shelley, 81). Opening this section with this statement by the creature, Shelley offers an explanation that the reader can connect to the murder of William Frankenstein. Recalling what had previously occurred regarding the murder of the young boy, the reader can deduce that this section would detail the negative events that transformed the creature from a eloquent and polite creation to a murderous beast.
The first human character to alienate the creature from his relation to humans is Safie. She appears as a foil character to the creature; she embodies everything that the creature wishes to be. Safie is beautiful and able to bring happiness and companionship to the DeLaceys. On the other hand, the creature attempts to raise himself above Safie in the only aspect which he can: his intelligence. "I improved more rapidly than the Arabian" claims the creature about the pairs learning of the French language (Shelley, 84). Throughout the section, the creature is also rejected by Felix DeLacey, the girl which he saves from drowning, and the young William Frankenstein. All of these characters and their respective negative rejections of the beast help to shape his hatred for humans, especially his creator, Victor Frankenstein, "to him towards whom I have sworn eternal revenge," (Shelley, 102).
The section then proceeds to end with a request from the creature as a solution to his change in character. He asks Victor for a companion, a relationship through which he can experience the companionship that humans had failed to provide him.
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