Analogy of Nature vs Nurture

The Human Genome Project, which has attracted its fair per centum of contr everyplacesy, set out in the early 1990s to map all 25,000 genes of the human genome (About). The wish was that much(prenominal) discoveries would provide a roadmap to the specific genes which could allow us to accurately predict who will come apart heart disease, become violent, or become homosexual (Young). Psychologists, however, arrive countered this process by pointing out the immensity of environmental factors to overall social development.Professor Robert Plomin of the Institute of Psychiatry in London says that individual differences in complex traits atomic number 18 due at least as much to environmental plays as they are to genetic influences (qtd. in Young). This is, in essence, a modern-day battle of nature versus arouse. In Mary Shelleys Frankenstein the contradict is perfectly encapsulated in the character of the monster is he inherently evil and bloodthirsty, or did harsh social treat ment force him to be that way? It is an age-old question, still yet to be solved.However, through her physiological composition and characterization it becomes clear that the monster began sprightliness as young and innocent as a first-string newborn baby. He only became a true monster in the archetypal sense afterward dismissuring hatred and isolation at the reach outs of the humans he so longed to be. He is, in effect, nurtured into being the murderer that he becomes. Despite his unnatural birth, Frankensteins creation still exudes the freshness and naivety of a young child discovering things for the first time.The prime example of this is his discovery of fire I found a fire which had been left by some wandering beggars in my joy I thrust my hand into the live embers, but quickly drew it out again with a cry of pain (Shelley 89). He obviously has no life experiences to guide his actions and spends his first few weeks investigating and trying to understand the land around him, much like a newborn would. He even says that no distinct ideas engaged my mind (Shelley 88). This is not a being born a raving lunatic, his mind awash with murderous thoughts.He is patently a blank slate. Once he begins to distinguish light and sound, he continues his fresh exploration, discovering such things as animals, foliage, and warmth. At one point he wanders into an old mans hut, scaring him off. He doesnt intend to var. the man harm, nor does the reaction his appearance receives cause him whatsoever emotional distress or give bob up to vengeance. He is not the being that he is by the end of the wise, a clear indication of the influence of social and environmental factors on development.In fact, it is not until he sees the De Lacey family for the first time that he begins to authentically grasp basic emotions like happiness and viciousness until that point he had only known physical pain and hunger. The De Laceys are essentially the monsters first nurturers, however unknowing they may be. By law-abiding them he becomes aware of human relationships, human emotions, and even human history. He develops a high level empathy for the family their trials and tribulations were his, and when their were sad so was he.In a way he is exhibiting a highly pure and limited form of emotional expression and understanding for, much like a very young child or even a pet, his own feelings are greatly influenced by, and reflective of, those around him. Since the family provides the basis for the monsters impression of humans, he originally thinks fairly highly of them. The monster, who had started out taking some of their food for his own survival, stopped doing so when he found out that in doing this he inflicted pain on the cottagers (Shelley 96).To make amends he rather gathers firewood for them, and is filled with satisfaction upon knowing that he saved them from even a small amount of hardship. It is from the De Laceys that he first learns of kindnes s and complete, and of the bonds of family and friendship. If he was truly born a monster it is doubtful that he would hit any capacity whatsoever for empathy and love. At this point in the novel, though, its quite apparent that the so-called deuce has a interior that belies his frightening exterior appearance.The monster also learns how to read, write, and speak by intently observing the De Laceys. This act of humanization further endears the family to him, and is his major step towards joining human society. Of course this is all thrown and twisted out the window when, after meticulously planning on how to reveal his presence to the family, they receive him with less(prenominal) than open arms Felix violently ejects him from their cottage, while Safie runs away in disgust and Agatha faints upon seeing his form.This is the first of several(prenominal) traumatic experiences with the human race that totally throws the monsters worldview out-of-whack where before he saw only gentle ness and love he soon comes to associate humans with hatred and violence. Next the monster gets shot after miserliness a girl from drowning in a river. However he still does not respond violently towards either the girl or the attacker instead he merely wanders off, injured and confused. It would seem that he has yet to become the violent murderer the majority of the story sees him as.At this point, though, he does vow unadulterated hatred and vengeance on all mankind (Shelley 126), which is a far cry from the admiration he expressed for their race only days before. This is the give uping point in the monsters behavior from here on out his thought process is radically changed. Society and mankind have totally rejected him by this time, and again like a child he takes these insults to heart and responds in a somewhat unholy manner. The monsters brutal murder of William, Frankensteins younger brother, is the first occurrence to truly display any sort of infernal tendencies.By thi s point, though, his heart and mind have been shaped by nearly two years of life experiences, many of them negative. After all, he lives, apart from observing the De Laceys, in total isolation. He is then deemed a monster by all of society, and cast out. He is even shot for doing a heroic deed. render on his knowledge of the bloody history of human civilization (which is filled with war and revenge) and his exposure and appellative with Satan in Miltons Paradise Lost and it is not entirely surprising to see his mindset so rapidly altered.Of course he goes on to kill many more of Frankensteins loved ones, and eventually indirectly causes the death of Frankenstein himself, though these heinous crimes are born out of a lack of nurture, not simply just his natural personality. In fact, like many serial killers before and after him, the monster lacks any sort of parental figure. His father, Frankenstein, was so disgusted by him that he ran away and never came back. History has shown us that growing up fatherless can have severe ramifications upon a childs psyche and development.Numerous sociologists and psychologists have come to the conclusion that a fatherless childhood increases the likelihood that said child will turn to a life of crime or depression, and with 70% of long-term prison inmates and 72% of adolescent murderers orgasm from fatherless homes that assumption appears to be correct (Popenoe). This is a clear endorsement of the importance of nurture over nature in that this environmental change has such a large effect on the succeeding(a) of these children. Many, of course, come to resent and hate the man who walked out on them.This is the case with the monster, whose quest for vengeance against his former provides the main plot of the novel. The monster falls victim to the numerous environmental forces working against him, from societal isolation to the abandonment of his father. His ultimate personality is filled with rage and anger, though it is n ot without the kinder traits he picked up from the De Lacey family. He confesses at the end of the novel of his remorse at his crimes No guilt, no mischief, no malignity, no ruin can be comparable to mine (Shelley 203).Two of the most important quotes, though, appear at the end of the novel as well the monster essentially conveys Shelleys exact point in the nature vs. nurture battle when he says that his heart was fashioned to be susceptible of love and sympathy (Shelley 202) and that he cannot intrust that he is the same creature whose thoughts were once filled with sublime and transcendent visions of the beauty and majesty of goodness (Shelley 204). crimson he recognizes the changes that have taken place inside his own psyche, and he understands that it is his life experiences and environment that is to condemn for this.In these final quotes, he also makes it clear that he started out life fresh and new, without a demonic cell in his body, and that his first experiences were t hose of kindness and joy. It was not until after his mind began to form that he was exposed to the concepts of hatred and vengeance. With the character of Frankensteins monster, Shelley has created not only one of the most iconic misunderstood villains of literary productions but also formed an entire thesis on the concept of nature versus nurture in human development.By making the monster a blank slate, and morphing his personality based upon the different cataclysmic events that shape his life, Shelley clearly states her support for the nurture side of the argument. In a way the entire novel could be seen as an argument in defense of the belief that it is the childs environment and form of nurture veritable (be it good, bad, or non-existent) that provides the basis for their personality and character.Of course genetics does play a role in such areas. People are generally not born serial killers, nor are they born as likeable saints. Parenting plays a huge role in early developm ent, as many professionals have proven, and the monsters lack of a single parent largely attributes to his personality defects. This point, combined with the isolation and hatred that he endured, are the reasons that he turned towards a path of murder and destruction.