Cultural Collision Suha Raza Farryl Lawson Faith Santos

What is Collision in Literature Collision in literature is when the character interacts with other certain characters or even circumstances that mutate the ideas and thoughts that a character is use to or has been thinking for an extended amount of time. A collision is able to render a character’s mind forcing a change in personality and actions.

Cultural Collision Cultural Collision helps develop the characters throughout the novel and also helps the reader understand their perspective. Cultural Collision is when a character experiences a period of growth from their exposure to a culture that is dissimilar to their own therefore altering their thoughts.

In The Novel… Cultural collisions cause conflict within a character The Creature created by Dr. Victor Frankenstein deals with an internal struggle to understand the differences of good and evil due to the difference of culture in the outside world, which he is forced to compare to the only other culture he knows, the culture of Victor Frankenstein.

The culture the creature is exposed tof is that of which Victor Frankenstein has created for him. It is a culture of isolation from the outside world along with a source of selfishness portrayed by Victor in an attempt to cut off human society. Victor is able to create a sort of dark atmosphere for the creature to prosper in. However, when the creature becomes aware of human interactions by watching other people besides only Victor Frankenstein he realizes that there is more out there and the way he is being treated is not correct. When the creature realizes that he must make Victor pay for the harsh treatment he has to endure, the creature lashes out killing, trying to show Victor a sense of loneliness that the creature is in. Even this action depicts a human characteristic of sadness and even a characteristic of a need for vengeance.

Examples of cultural collisions in Frankenstein Language is an example of cultural collision within the novel. The Creature is able to learn to speak and read from the peasants that he watches. Language becomes significant in the novel because it shows not only that the creature is able to pick up certain things and show signs of development but also he is able to put them to use when he inscribes on trees and etc. as notes for Victor. The learning of language helps the creature understand his creator more along with the creator’s manner.

“I saw no cause for their unhappiness; but I was deeply affected by it. If such lovely creatures were miserable, it was less strange that I, an imperfect and solitary being, should be wretched” (Shelley 77).

Thesis In Frankenstein, the bold statement, man is caught by colliding cultures, specifically presented within the novel as an ongoing emotionally altering occurence, is exemplified by the incorporation of intense symbolism, emotional internal conflict, and gracious synecdoche.

Significant Moment #1 The monster observes the cottagers in a clandestine manner so he can learn the appropriate social behaviors necessary to properly function in society. “I found that these people possessed a method of communicating their experience and feelings to one another by articulate sounds. I perceived that the words they spoke sometimes produced pleasure or plain, smiles or sadness, in the minds and countenances of the hearers” (Shelley 78). Prior to observing them, the monster had no previous understanding of interaction with other humans, and is greatly affected by this moment, as he has a fuller comprehension on how he can apply this to his future interactions.

Significant Moment #2 In realization of Frankenstein condemning him, the creature is conflicted and hurt, and this is due to the new feelings he has attained from observing others interact. He has learned sympathy from his observations, yet his creator seemed to have showed him none when seeing the creature again after the death of William and Justine. “Begone! I will not hear you. There can be no community between you and me; we are enemies” (Shelley 68).

Synecdoche The “cottagers”, as the monster labels them, are believed to be the ideal type of human being. The creature refers to them as a whole group, and automatically puts them on a pedestal. The cottagers communicate with each other openly about their problems. The fact that the creature wanted to also communicate openly intensifies his desire to restore their happiness to them and later hate his creator for not giving him this opportunity.

Man v. Supernatural The monster is frequently in a battle between himself and Victor, and whether or not he could ever be a good creature. His morals are blurred and the killings begin. The author successfully shows the constant struggle between the creature’s almost devilish instincts and the good, learned traits he acquired from the cottagers to provide a relatable internal conflict that many of us face.

Symbolism The abortion of Victor’s female creature stirs a fire within the creature because he is still in the process of learning how to feel and through cultural collision with humans is able to notice that interaction and companionship is a necessity. The abrupt stop of the next creature symbolizes that the first monster’s happiness will never really be found.

Bibliography kenstein-the-most-misread-novel/ kenstein-the-most-misread-novel/