Frankenstein Nature Vs Nurture

The nurture vs. nature debate is debated by many psychologist and sociologist. The nurture side of the debate is that a person’s traits are formed by the way one is raised. The nature aspect of the debate is that a person is born with and biologically given the traits that determine one’s perspective and personality. The authors of Psychology states that “Research reveals that nature and nurture together shape our development-every step of the way” (Myers 133). In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Victor’s god complex and, though he believes his happiness is based on nurture, he abandons his creature leaving him to develop through nature alone. Since the beginning of Victor Frankenstein’s childhood, his youth has been full of happiness. When telling …show more content…
Victor’s upbringing leads him to believe that the love from his parents leads him to happiness and success. Victor says that he is “their child, the innocent and helpless creature bestowed on them by Heaven, whom to bring up to good, a whose future lot it was in their hands to direct to happiness or misery, according as they fulfilled their duties towards me" (Shelley 16). The responsibility of raising a child to become a happy adult is a very large task. Victor believes in the nurture side of the debate. On the Frankenstein’s trip to Milan, Victor’s mother, Caroline, meets a family of peasants with five children that need to be fed. One of the children stands out to Caroline because the girl’s appearance is very different from the others. The girl’s name is Elizabeth and she is not a part of the peasant family. Elizabeth’s mother dies giving birth and Elizabeth is given to the peasant family to nurse her. The Frankenstein family treats Elizabeth as if she is a member of their family. Caroline wants the best for Elizabeth which is shown when Caroline adopts Elizabeth into their family (Shelley 17). When Elizabeth becomes ill Caroline cares for her but Caroline ends up getting sick and dies for contracting …show more content…
Mellor states “the De Laceys not only stimulate the creature’s emotions and arouse his desire to do good (which takes the form of gathering firewood for them), but also introduce him to the concept and function of spoken and written language” (75). Unconsciously the De Lacey family is helping the creature learn. The creature sits in his hutch that has a tiny hole looking into the cottage where he listens to the family talk. Once the De Lacey children see the creature for the first time, they are terrified just like the other people with whom the creature has comes in contact. Mellor states “clearly an unloved child will not learn well-the creature’s education is effectively ended when the De Lacey abandon him” (76). After the De Laceys abandon the creature, he goes on a search for his