Shannon Glock

Understanding creation is one of the most important and fascinating things Christians can attempt to do, and understanding literature is one of the greatest things a student can strive to do. God’s creation, specifically Adam, is a beautiful thing, while Victor Frankenstein’s creation, the monster, in Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein might not be considered so beautiful. In fact, Frankenstein’s monster is seen as ugly and disgusting. While there are some similar aspects of God’s creation and Frankenstein’s creation, the majority are quite different. There are four major categories to consider in each of these creations: natures of the creations and creators, reason for creation, reactions of the creators to creations as well as creations to the creators, and reason for a spouse.

The first category to contrast between the two accounts of creation is the natures of both the creators and their creations. This is the first and possibly most important factor to analyze because their natures determine their reasoning for everything else. To better understand the other three categories, it is important to understand why they react the way they do or why they reason the way they do. Just like understanding why human beings do evil things is easier after understanding human nature is sinful. Matthew 15:19 says, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.” This Bible verse shows the nature of mankind (the heart) is the reason for what he does.

Victor Frankenstein, a young and immensely intelligent scientist, was human, therefore, he was subject to human nature. Because of the sinfulness inside of his heart, he was at times selfish and evil. He was also greatly influenced by his obsession with material possessions. He dedicates himself to scientific exploration and experimentation. He is incredibly fascinated with the idea of creating life, and, after discovering the secret to life, he brings his own creation to life. He also becomes obsessed with revenge. When his creation spirals out of control, it kills his brother, best friend, and wife. This of course provokes intense anger in Victor, which causes him to chase after the monster in attempt to take his revenge on him. This anger is a result of Victor Frankenstein’s sinful nature. The human, sinful nature of his heart determines his reason for everything he does.

This is a complete opposite to the nature of God. As the Bible states in several places, God is perfect and sinless. He never experiences unrighteous anger and is completely without flaw. Micah 7:18 says, “Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.” God acts out of love, not out of selfish desire or need. He will not seek revenge but will extend his mercy and grace.

One huge difference between the nature of Victor Frankenstein and the nature of God is their knowledge. God is omniscient, while Frankenstein’s knowledge is limited to what he can learn through his studies and experimentation. God knows all things of the world, as well as all things supernatural. Victor Frankenstein does not have the knowledge to understand things outside of this world. Because of this, Frankenstein does not know the consequences of creating life. He has no way of knowing what his monster will do. God, however, knows every single detail of Adam’s life before he ever begins to make him.

Another contrast between the two creators is their ability or inability to make mistakes. Because of Frankenstein’s sinful nature, he is going to make mistakes no matter what. Nothing he could make would ever be perfect. On the other hand, God is perfect and pure. He cannot sin, therefore, he cannot make mistakes. His creation was perfect until Adam disobeyed him. Frankenstein’s monster was never perfect because his creator was never perfect.

It is also important to understand the difference in their character and integrity. Frankenstein has very little integrity, even for a human being. He does not keep his promise to the monster. He promised to make a female creation so the monster may experience companionship, but he does not follow through with this. He begins to make her, but destroys her after seeing how disgusting she is. God, however, will never break his promises. He has perfect integrity because of his flawless character. Romans 4:21 states, “and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.”

Understanding the natures of the creations is just as important as understanding the natures of their creators. Frankenstein’s monster was created clueless and had to learn everything on his own. He did not know how to communicate with others, but he was absolutely determined to learn. He desired to be a part of society, but society did not accept him because of his grotesque physical appearance. He was born, or reborn, innocent and did not have the same evil heart as his creator. He was kind and desired relationships. However, after being rejected by his own creator, he develops the anger and desire for revenge that lived inside of Frankenstein. This is the reason he kills Victor’s family.

Adam is also created innocent, as he is created in the image of God his creator. Genesis 1:27 reads, “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Adam was sinless until he disobeyed God. He ate from the forbidden tree causing the fall of mankind. Because he did not listen to God, he acquired a sinful nature and a life full of pain and suffering that would otherwise not exist. The reason the monster and Adam are different is mainly the natures of their creators. God made Adam out of love; Frankenstein made the monster out of human desire.

Understanding the natures of the creators helps in understanding their reasons for creation. Knowing that Victor Frankenstein acts out of selfishness and worldly obsessions, it is clear he created the monster to benefit himself, not for the sake of the monster. He wanted to prove those who said he could not create life wrong. He wanted to conquer the limits of the material world. He wanted to conquer the inevitable end of life, death. All the challenges he faced motivated him to find the secret of life and do what had never been done.

God’s reason for creation is utterly different. He was not acting out of need or selfish desire, but out of love. He created man to worship Him and give glory to Him. Because God is absolutely perfect, he does not need anything. He never relies on man for anything. He creates man in order to love him and develop a deep relationship with him. He also created man to rule over other things he had created. Man was to be ruler over animals and a steward of the earth. This is very different from Frankenstein’s reason for creation because the monster was created merely to better Victor himself who had no consideration for the monster. He did not love the monster or want a relationship with him. He needed to create the monster in order to validate himself and prove others wrong.

Another thing to consider when contrasting Biblical creation and the creation in Frankenstein is the initial reactions of the creators to creations and the reactions of the creations to the creators. While Victor Frankenstein was excited to have created life, the moment he saw the monster he had created he was appalled. He was so disgusted he passed out and became very ill for a long time. He did not desire to get to know his creation or teach his creation anything. He also did not want to take responsibility for the consequences of his creation. Once the monster had killed his family and caused the deaths of other innocent people, he did not want to admit the monster was his fault. He felt guilt and anger.

God’s initial reaction to his creation was the complete opposite of Frankenstein’s. His very first reaction was that what He had made was very good. Genesis 1:31a says, “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good,” God blessed Adam and told him to be fruitful and multiply. He told him to fill the earth and gave him dominion over all the animals and plants (Genesis 1:28-30). God also immediately began to form a relationship with his creation, unlike Frankenstein who ran away from his monster. He communicated with Adam and loved him.

The reactions of the creations to their creators depends greatly on how their creators reacted to them. Frankenstein’s monster yearned for a relationship with his creator and when he was rejected, he was sad, alone, and angry. He wanted revenge. He felt betrayed by his own creator. All he wanted was to experience love and he did not receive it. This is very different from how Adam reacted to God. Adam initially reacted positively to God, because God had provided him with love. He worshipped God and desired a relationship with Him. He wanted to obey God and live happily with Him. It wasn’t until he was tempted that he disobeyed and feared God.

After spending some time as the only creation, both the monster and Adam desired a spouse. The monster desired love and companionship and did not want to be alone any longer. He had been rejected by all people he had interacted with and wanted someone as gross and ugly as he was so she might accept him and develop a relationship with him. Adam wanted a spouse because he did not have a suitable helper or mate. He was called by God to rule over the animals and plants but had not been given anyone to help him with that task. He was also blessed by God to multiply and fill the earth, but in order to do so he needed a woman. The monster needed a spouse to fulfill his need for a relationship, while Adam’s was fulfilled by God. Adam did not feel alone because he had God who loved him, talked to him, and was with him.

Victor Frankenstein promised he would create a female companion for the monster, but he destroyed her before she was finished. He started to make this companion for the monster in order to get rid of the monster’s loneliness and to placate the monster. The monster’s anger had caused him to kill Victor’s family and if Victor had made him a companion to love, it would have eased his anger. God made woman because he knew it was not good for man to be alone. Man needed a human companion to be a helper and a mate. Unlike Frankenstein, God created woman solely for man’s benefit and not selfish reasons. God also completed his female creation, but Victor did not. God did it out of love, and Frankenstein planned to do it out of need to placate the monster.

The creators’ reasons for creation, the reaction of the creators to their creations and the creations to their creators, and the reasons for a spouse are all determined by the nature of the creators and creations. Ultimately, Frankenstein’s reasoning and reaction are selfish due to his sinful nature, while God’s are perfect and loving because of his flawless nature. The monster’s reasoning and reaction are innocent due to his newborn-like innocent nature, however he does grow to experience anger and desire for revenge. His strongest influence, however, is his desire for a relationship. Adam’s reasoning and reaction are initially innocent, loving, and glorifying to God, but once he is faced with temptation, he is disobedient and full of fear. Analyzing these four categories and contrasting the four figures makes understanding Biblical creation as well as worldly literature easier and more significant.