Frankenstein 5

Frankenstein
Mary Shelley

With Frankenstein, we bring many pre-conceived notions about him and the story.  However, very few are even accurate to the original story by Mary Shelley.  Most common, perhaps, is the name: Frankenstein is the man who created the monster, not the monster itself (as we so often assume).  Also, many call him Doctor Frankenstein, which is inaccurate, although some would consider the amount of time he spent studying would qualify him as one.  The creation process is also very different from the actual plot because most people associate lightning with creating the monster, when really, lightning was just in the background--along with some light rain.  The beast is also different from his portrayal in movies and other works.  He does not have stitches everywhere and bolts on the side of his neck, but looks sort of like a bigger version of a normal man.  He is also not scary, but can talk, walk, and function emotionally as people do.  In the movies and other shows, he moans around and can barely walk straight.  One of the most important differences is that he is not scary but can tell his own story.  "It is with considerable difficulty that I remember the original era of my being: all the events of that period appear confused and indistinct," (Shelley, page 71).  That part was especially surprising to me, as I had no idea he would be able to talk, much less formulate thoughts.