Froonkoonstoon

Victor Frankenstein and the monster develop into similar characters once Victor falls, yet throughout the story each represent different movements at that time. Victor makes what he thinks are smart choices, trying to prevent his guilt and save those around him. He reflects the Rationalism movement, even though his choices end up just ruining his life in the end. One very rational choice he makes that a romantic thinker would not make is when he destroys his second creation. He realizes that creating another unpredictable monster would only cause more death and issues in the end. He is constantly referencing to science and bases his entire life off of chemistry and seeking knowledge, which is very consistent with the Enlightenment when people were using science to support theories rather than religion.

            The monster himself reflects the Romantic Movement as he is very emotional, passionate, and driven. He reads books that he bases his entire knowledge off of, one being fiction making his background skewed and dramatic. He finds himself to only have one goal, to get revenge on Frankenstein, which is evident when Victor dies, he is devastated, for frustrating Victor was the only meaning he had in his life. Once Victor is gone, he has nothing left to live for.  

            Once Victor falls emotionally (when he goes crazy chasing after the monster), he becomes just as romantic as the monster had always been. He dwells on nature and the emotions it brings out in him, he feels sorry for himself and is driven by his passion for revenge. He shifts other times in the novel, such as when the monster’s face is revealed to him as an alive creature and he suddenly realizes how ugly and gross the monster is. Before then, while working on the creature, he had been rational and focused on the science and success of the experiment rather than its actual appearance.
It is due to Victor's shift and fall that readers are so intrigued by the novel, for it was rare for a protagonist to go so crazy rather than gain self assurance. Victor doe stye opposite of what most protagonists would do. What apse makes the novel prevalent in today's society is its supernatural, modern features such as the creation of the monster itself which was a brand new idea at that time.