Discussion Question: Literary Illusions

12/15/2025

Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay
To mould me man? Did I solicit thee
From darkness to promote me?
-John Milton, Paradise Lost, X, 743-745 (1667)

The creature reads John Milton's epic poem, Paradise Lost (1667). Milton's epic poem tells the story of how Adam and Eve live in peaceful harmony until they are seduced by Satan into eating from the Tree of Knowledge and are punished by being banished from the Garden of Eden. While reading Paradise Lost, the creature reports that he initially identifies with the character of "Adam" insofar as both are "united by no link to any other being in existence" (132). However, the creature also identifies with the character of "Satan": "Many times I considered Satan as the fitter emblem of my condition; for often, like him, when I viewed the bliss of my protectors, the bitter gall of envy rose within me" (132). Do you think the character bears a greater resemblance to Adam or Satan? Why?

Important Note: Mary Shelley, a highly educated woman of her time, would have deep knowledge of various texts (both secular and nonsecular), philosophies, cultures, and ideas and would have been encouraged by her progressive upbringing to think critically about all of them. She would have been influenced by various religious beliefs, but seems to have held agnostic or atheistic views. However, as a child of Great Britain, Shelley's conception of Frankenstein reflects a complex engagement with Judeo-Christian themes, suggesting her influence by the religion followed by most people around her.

Primary Blog Expectations (respond to the prompt above): 200-250 words, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add word count. Due by 11:59pm Sunday night, 12/21/2025!

Secondary Blog Response Expectations (read everyone's primary responses, select two that interest you, and respond to their ideas): 100-150 words EACH, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add word count. Due by 11:59pm Monday night, 12/22/2025!

Extra Information: If you are unfamiliar with Paradise Lost by John Milton, Dr Moore of Saint Thomas University gives an excellent and relatively brief overview considering the complexity of this famous poem. As always, remember that this video lecture is Dr Moore's interpretation of Milton's epic classic through the lens of sociopolitical thought. You may find that you have your own interpretation if you choose to read it.

Summary: Paradise Lost, an epic poem by John Milton, is arguably the greatest poem written in the English language. It is based upon the creation story found in the Christian Bible. Most religions (current and ancient) have stories that attempt to answer the question: Where did we come from? Interestingly, if you take a Comparative Studies course, you may find many parallels amongst various societies throughout time and place. This is where thinkers like Joseph Campbell developed the concept for his book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, and Carl Jung's Archetypal Characters. What is Paradise Lost about? Paradise Lost tells the story of the Garden of Eden, God's creation of humanity, Eve's temptation by Satan and Adam's subsequent temptation by Eve. It also tells the story of the War in Heaven, when Satan rebelled against God and fell to Hell. Paradise Lost is an extraordinary epic poem; its major themes include freedom, knowledge, justice, providence, republicanism and monarchy. This podcast provides a summary of some of Paradise Lost's major themes as well as some strategies for reading Milton's epic poem (adapted from GreatBooksProf).

42 Comments

Mélanie Hahnemann

12/17/2025 05:11:50 pm

In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley intentionally aligns the creature with both Adam and Satan from John Milton's Paradise Lose, but the creature overall has a closer similarity to Adam. Adam was a creature brought without consent, similar to Frankenstein. As said in Milton's line " Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay/ To mould me man?" The creature has a similar view when he questions Victor's decision to create him and then abandon him. Both Adam and the creature start their lives full of innocence, curiosity and the awareness of their isolation as beings without an equal match to them.

However, the significant difference lies in how they are both treated by their creators. Adam is given guidance, love and support, while the creature was rejected the second he was made. This rejection serves as an explanation as to why the creature later becomes a form of Satan, mainly in his persona switch and feelings of envy and range when he sees what happiness is like to everyone but him. Yet unlike Satan, the creature wasn’t born with rebellion, but rather to be acknowledged and loved. His switch towards anger can be seen as a response to the neglect he faced.

Shelley's engagement with Christian themes complicates simple moral conversations. With the mixing of Adam's innocence with Satan's resentment, Shelley infers that evil is not born on its own but rather picked up through suffering and neglecting. The creature's story ultimately critiques the failure of the creator, inferring that he is more like Adam when he was cast out of Eden, than Satan who fell by choice.

Elisabeth Wollman

12/19/2025 03:52:58 pm

I like your last paragraph about Mary Shelley's engagement with Christian themes, as I think her depiction of the concepts of good and evil, or virtue and sin, say a lot about her personal experiences and perspective. In many religious and moral philosophies, society is taught that people who do bad things are bad people. While this may be true on a surface level, additional factors complicate things. For instance, we know that the creature's murder of William is, to say the least, "bad." But through the creature's retelling of his story, we come to understand that while he cannot be absolved of responsibility for his acts of evil, it is ultimately Victor's immoral act of neglect that has pushed the creature to this situation. Shelley's work critiques the idea "playing God" while alluding to biblical figures and exploring how circumstances shape morality; all of these aspects add varying layers of complexity to her novel that I believe reflect her equally complex views on religion and ethics.

Matilda Montana

12/21/2025 12:14:02 pm

First of all, I love your stance on this!! In my opinion, the author purposely connects the creature to Adam and Satan from Paradise Lost because the creature is strongly associated with Adam. For example, Adam and the creature are brought into existence without their consent and immediately question their creator’s responsibility. Both of these people begin life innocent and curious, aware of their loneliness and wanting a companion. The contrast is that, unlike Adam, who was given Eve as a companion for his life, and who is guided and cared for by God. The creature, on the other hand, is rejected by Victor as soon as he is created. This isolation becomes the reason for his suffering and eventual anger. This is because the creature later mirrors Satan's actions, like envy and rage. This transformation of the creature was not innate. Shelley shows that the creature only desires love, acceptance, and understanding from another one of himself. The creature's descent into violence reflects the consequences of Victor's neglect, rather than inherent evil.

Word Count:173

Mayumi Kimura

12/21/2025 03:04:58 pm

I agree with this response, and I made a similar argument. Like Adam, the creature is created without consent, which is shown through Milton’s line, “Did I request thee, Marker, from my Clay”. Both Adam and Frankenstein begin innocent and isolated, questioning their creators rather than choosing rebellion. I also agree that Frankenstein's was not inherently evil like Satan but instead turned evil as a result of rejection from his creator.

I like how you say that creature later becomes like Satan because of the neglect he had received. I hadn’t thought about it like that but now that you mention it, I think that is really niche and it does match the shift that Mary Shelley creates from comparing the creature Adam at first and shifting to Satan.
Word Count: 129

Marie Curie

1/13/2026 09:33:28 am

Yes, I agree the creature is more similar to Adam. Like Adam, the creature was brought into the world without consent, being the first of its kind. The significant difference between both of them is how they are treated in the world none of them asked to be brought in, and their relationship between the creator and the creation.

Adam had companions with him, his creator and Eve, who guided him through the world that was very new to him. While the creature had no one due to the fact that he looked different from others around him. The differences changed how they responded to the world. Adam responded to the world by being obedient (to a point), while the creature responded with anger and revenge.

Word Count: 126 words

Jiang Hui

1/16/2026 05:23:34 pm

I like your connection between the creature and Adam, more specifically how their creators each treat them, respectively. This relationship between creator and creation is important to acknowledge, especially when analyzing the creature's personality, motives, and overall way of acting in the story. I agree that Frankenstein’s creature bears more similarities to Adam than he does Satan from Milton’s paradise. I also like how you connected this similarity to Shelley’s writing. This comparison allows us to truly gauge how Victor and the creature’s relationship, or lack thereof, affect how the story progresses overall. This progression turns him into the “daemon” to which Victor claims he is.

Word Count: 106

Mary Calkins Whilton

1/20/2026 01:36:45 am

Your argument persuasively explains why the creature aligns more closely with Adam, especially through the emphasis on innocence and lack of consent. The comparison between Adam’s creation and the creature’s questioning of Victor highlights how both figures begin in moral purity rather than rebellion. I also find your distinction between Satan’s chosen fall and the creature’s gradual transformation compelling, since it reinforces the idea that suffering shapes behavior. Your point about rejection is particularly effective, as it shows how the creature’s anger is learned rather than innate. By framing the creature as Adam cast out rather than Satan fallen by choice, you strengthen Shelley’s critique of the creator’s responsibility. This reading supports the novel’s warning about neglect and moral accountability

12/18/2025 07:09:20 pm

In Frankenstein, by Mary Shelly, the creature has a stronger connection to Adam than to Satan. I know what you guys are thinking, hear me out! I believe that the author purposely complicates the situation. An example is,just like Adam in Paradise Lost, the creature is created without his consent and placed into a world he doesn't understand, yet his creator's name and the fact that, in Victor's eyes, he is a monster. The creature mimics Adam’s complaint by saying, “Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay,” showing that the creature's suffering begins not from inherent evil from Victor, but from abandonment and knowing what love is. Adam and the creature, in comparison, long for companionship, guidance, and love from their creators, who made them. Adam does receive gifts from God, while the creature is denied them by Victor, making his fall feel disheartened rather than sinful.

Although the creature’s identification with Satan reflects how society’s rejection of how they view him shapes his identity. This is because Satan’s envy arises when he views happiness he can never access due to circumstance, which reflects a lot on the creature’s bitterness when he observes the De Lacey family’s affection, because it is something he could never have from Victor. More importantly, this sameness develops over time; the creature is not born vengeful yet, but his fury is a response to repeated cruelty from his creator; it’s not a natural disposition toward evil. So the author suggests that the Satan-like qualities are produced by isolation and injustice of being heard, not the creation itself.

Lastly, by comparing the creature more closely with Adam, Shelley shows Victor's moral failure rather than what he created. Victor, unlike God, refuses responsibility for making the creature, turning an innocent person into a misunderstood outcast. In all, Shelley uses Paradise Lost to bring to light the neglect and social exclusion the creature endured.

Word Count:320

12/19/2025 04:07:37 pm

I like the last sentence of your second paragraph, "...Satan-like qualities are produced by isolation and injustice of being heard, not the creation itself." I think it does a great job of reflecting the novel's themes of owning one's actions and taking responsibility for them (which Victor clearly has not done). In our last blog entry, I discussed how the podcast talked about the concept of monsters like the creature being born from monsters themselves (i.e. Victor), which also applies here. In your entry, you emphasize how it is "not the creation itself" that is evil or "Satan-like," but the circumstances from which it was born, including the creator itself. In parent-child relationships, we see how adverse experiences in one's childhood, such as neglect, trauma, etc., can result in many interpersonal conflicts in the future. On a larger scale, corrupt people set up corrupt systems that oppress other groups. This concept of evil creations being born from evil creators is very pertinent in modern society, and I like how you address it here!

RUPA BAI FURDOONJI

12/22/2025 07:02:08 pm

I agree with this argument because it effectively explains how the creature begins with Adam-like innocence before gradually resembling Satan. The idea that Adam had companionship through Eve helps explain why the creature initially desires the same sense of connection from his creator. However, because the creature is isolated and rejected by humanity, he is denied the love and guidance that Adam received. This rejection causes him to become angry and resentful.

As the creature’s isolation increases, he begins to use his anger as a weapon against those who looked down on him. Rather than being accepted into society, he becomes feared, which pushes him further toward violence. This transformation mirrors Satan’s descent in Paradise Lost, as both characters allow their suffering and envy to drive them toward destruction. The creature’s actions ultimately reflect his belief that if he cannot be loved, he can at least be powerful, reinforcing his identification with Satan rather than Adam.

1/13/2026 09:46:20 am

Yes, I agree with the fact that Adam and the creature did not ask to be brought into the world. They were both the first of their kind and brought into a very unfamiliar world. And yes, I also agree that the the creature’s identification of anger and revenge goes with Satan and reflects society’s rejection because of how they view him. He was brought into the world as Adam but society's reaction to him, made him into Satan. Although, Satan is always evil because it's his nature, the creature acts like him as a response to the hate he is receiving.

Word Count: 102 words

12/19/2025 03:35:04 pm

Towards volume two’s end, the creature recounts discovering a satchel of books in the woods, including John Milton’s “Paradise Lost,” an epic poem retelling the Christian Bible’s story of creation and the fall of man. The poem depicts God’s creation and abandonment of Adam, along with Adam and Eve’s temptation by Satan and eventual exile from Eden. Though the creature is most similar to Adam in origin and innate desires, he also identifies with Satan through his suffering and later actions, ultimately emphasizing his moral struggle between good and evil born from his creator’s neglect.

The creature draws parallels between himself and Adam, explaining that both were created by a “higher power” and “united by no link to any other being in existence,” highlighting how they were both the first of their kind (Shelley 107). Like Adam, the creature was brought into existence without choice, enabling him to empathize with Adam’s longing for a companion. In “Paradise Lost,” Adam yearns for a partner with whom he can share his knowledge and experiences, mirroring the creator’s later plea for Victor to construct a female equal so that he is no longer alone. Their shared isolation and desire for connection reinforce their similarities and underscore the creature’s innocent moral desire for belonging.

Despite this, the creature claims he more closely resembles Satan, recalling that while observing the cottagers, “bitter gall and envy rose within” him (Shelley 107). Like Satan, who is outcast by God, the creature is abandoned by Victor, leading both to acts of destruction. After murdering William, he describes his feelings of “exultation and hellish triumph,” and upon looking down at his victim, remembers how he was “for ever deprived of the delights that such beautiful creatures could bestow,” revealing how prolonged isolation and rejection corrupted his initial Adam-like innocence (Shelley 119). Ultimately, it is Victor’s abandonment of the creature that drives his moral decline, demonstrating how extreme neglect, along with the isolation and suffering that follow, can drive one to acts of evil.

Word Count: 334

12/21/2025 11:44:19 am

I totally agree with your interpretation!!! The reason is that this clearly shows the creature’s identity as revealed by Adam and Satan, and that Victor’s neglect of him marks a turning point for the creature. This response effectively explains that both Adam and the creature begins there life innocent and full of light, desiring companionship and guidance from their creator. The comparison shows that the creature’s nature at first was not evil, but it needed a natural human need for attachment and connection. The use of Paradise Lost strengthens this argument, especially the idea that both Adam and the creature are created without choice and left dependent on a higher power, such as God or Victor.

Word Count:116

12/22/2025 07:20:39 pm

I agree with this interpretation because the creature, like Adam in Paradise Lost, did not ask to be created but is forced to suffer the consequences of creation. In Milton’s epic, Adam is created to live under God’s authority and is given purpose and guidance. However, after he eats from the forbidden tree, he is punished and expelled from Eden. Adam’s fall shows how a created being can lose favor with his creator and be forced to endure suffering.

The creature compares himself to Adam because both are made to have a master and both experience a kind of fall. Although the creature does not intentionally disobey Victor in the same way Adam disobeys God, he is still punished immediately after his creation. Because the creature cannot speak or behave as Victor expects, he is treated as a monster rather than a creation deserving care. This rejection becomes his version of Adam’s exile from Paradise

12/21/2025 02:56:47 pm

In the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, I think she created Frankenstein to resemble Adam more than Satan because, like Adam, he is a creation. Adam was created by God, and dependent on their creators for guidance and companionship.Frankenstein was created by Victor Frankenstein. Both brought into the world innocent and Satan, on the other hand, is the devil and has evil within him from the beginning. He knowingly goes against God’s rules and tempts Eve because he chooses to be evil and rebel against authority.

Frankenstein does not choose to be evil. He was brought into existence without his consent, which is similar to Adam’s complaint in Paradise Lost when he asked, “Did I request thee, Maker, From my clay”. This question shows how both Adam and Frankenstein struggle with the burden of existence and feel abandoned by their creators. Victor creates the creature but then rejects and abounds him, leaving him alone and confused in a world that fears him. Without love, guidance, or acceptance, he slowly becomes bitter and angry. His suffering comes from being created and rejected rather than from an inherent desire to do evil. His actions are shaped by neglect instead of natural wickedness. Frankenstein is much more like Adan than Satan.
Word Count: 209

Rina Monti

1/13/2026 02:52:55 pm

I agree with you as I also explained that the creature is like the way he is because he was scared because of how Victor left him. And when you are abandoned like you have said you are left in this confused state, almost thinking "Was it me?" "what's wrong with me?" and when you question such, it leaves you bitter and hopeless like the creature and it even makes it worse because society also fears him, but he doesnt want to be feared, he wants to be seen because all of his life he has been rejected and being rejected can make you have rebellion behavior. And though you don't mean too, but you never had that guidance from someone to teach you the right and wrong about immoral and moral.

Mary chilton noyes

1/13/2026 06:43:28 pm

Your analysis effectively frames the creatures development within the context of Adam's experience, emphasizing his initial innocence and subsequent transformation due to societal rejection. This perspective suggests that the creatures actions are a consequence of environmental factors, challenging the notion of inherent evil and prompting a nuanced understanding of responsibility within the narrative

1/16/2026 05:27:19 pm

interpretation of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot.
I like your interpretation of the creature’s connection to Adam. I, too, agree that he bears more similarities to Adam. However, I truly appreciate how you made this connection by specifically bringing up the means to which each individual was created. Victor Frankenstein did not make the creature so that he would exact revenge on his loved ones. The “evil” of his creation was not made intentionally, but still was his fault in the end. The creature’s actions against Frankenstein and his loved ones are the fault of Victor himself and his neglect and wrongdoing from the moment he even decided to reanimate the corpse that haunts him throughout the novel.

Word Count: 124

Clémence Royer

1/16/2026 07:26:21 pm

I really like how you describe the creature’s struggle as being caught between Adam and Satan instead of placing him firmly in one category. Your idea of the creature as a “new Adam” at the beginning works well, especially when you connect it to his desire for companionship and belonging. That makes his early innocence feel very human. I also think your shift to the Satan parallel is effective, since it shows how isolation and rejection slowly change him rather than suggesting he was evil from the start. Your point about the creature’s request for a mate stood out to me as a reasonable last attempt to stay connected to humanity. The moments you highlight, like his envy of the cottagers and his reaction after William’s death, clearly show how neglect corrupts innocence. Overall, your response makes a strong case that Victor’s abandonment, not the creature’s nature, leads to violence.

12/21/2025 05:46:12 pm

During his period of wandering, isolation, and self-discovery, the creature discovers John Milton’s poem Paradise Lost. This poem tells the story of Adam and Eve and their banishment from the Garden of Eden. After reading this poem, the creature claims he identifies with Adam, to which I agree. The creature, the creation of Victor Frankenstein, has more similarities to Adam, God’s creation from the bible. Both “creations” fall to their temptations and end up punished.

Throughout volume two, we observe the creature’s journey of self-exploration. We watch him learn human customs and behaviors, but with his learning comes temptation. He grows a sense of longing for feelings of belonging. He wishes to feel included and loved within the household he stalks, but his temptation for inclusions gets him banished– he is not “human enough.” Despite his efforts to learn their language, practice their customs, and learn about their family, he is not welcome. It is his disconnection from the human world that pushes him to approach his creator to make him a companion, to which Victor initially refuses. Adam’s temptation, although different, resembles the creature’s. Both of their temptations are what banish them further from their creator. Their longing for more than what they may have by their creator’s standards ends in punishment.

(Word Count: 213)

12/21/2025 05:46:21 pm

Marie-Sophie Germain

1/13/2026 09:55:59 pm

I really like how you were able to connect the temptation as a similarity between Adam and the creature. I think that your point about them being punished for wanting more that their creature is really strong. I also think that the creature learning human customs and STILL being rejectected really made his banishment even more unfair. I think even thought he puts in that effort to fit in, he is still seen as "not human enough" which makes it feel very unfair. I strongly agree that him longing to belong is what pushes him to ask Victor for companionship then Victor refusing is similar to Adam being separated from God after temptation.

1/18/2026 03:16:25 pm

WC: 113

12/21/2025 06:18:05 pm

In Frankenstein, the creature compares himself to Adam because both were created beings who did not ask to exist and initially hoped for love and guidance from their creator. Adam was given free will, but he was also cared for by God and provided with companionship. The creature, however, was abandoned by Victor immediately after his creation. At first, the creature believes he could be someone important in Victor’s life and tries to respect his creator, even when he is treated cruelly by humans. This early innocence reflects his initial connection to Adam.

As the novel progresses, the creature begins to resemble Satan more than Adam. Like Satan in Paradise Lost, the creature becomes deeply envious when he observes the happiness of others and realizes he will never be accepted into society. This envy slowly turns into anger and bitterness. Feeling betrayed by both his creator and humanity, the creature turns to violence as a way to take revenge on Victor for abandoning him. Although he desires love and companionship, his longing for a mate ultimately leads him to commit cruel acts, showing how his suffering pushes him toward a darker path. Similar to Satan, the creature transforms his pain into a desire to make others suffer.

In Paradise Lost, Milton writes, “Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay / To mould me man?” This line expresses Adam’s lament toward God and directly reflects the creature’s feelings about his own creation. The creature did not ask to be brought into existence, yet he is forced to endure loneliness, rejection, and emotional suffering because of his appearance. By including this allusion, Shelley emphasizes the responsibility of the creator and suggests that the creature’s actions are shaped by neglect rather than pure evil. While the creature begins as an Adam-like figure, his experiences of abandonment and rejection ultimately lead him to identify more closely with Satan.

***Word Count: 314***

Huang Lu

12/21/2025 10:51:04 pm

In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley uses John Milton’s Paradise Lost to represent how the creature’s nature can symbolize Adam and Satan. Though towards the end of volume II, we are shown that his experiences can relate more closely to Satan. As the creature reveals his vulnerability, it creates an emotional response in the readers that illustrates how his innocence, connecting to Adam, developed into suffering and envy in Satan.
At first, the creature was innocent, entering the world with no knowledge that he was a scientific overreach nor understanding the evil around him. In Paradise Lost, Adam can depend on his creator for knowledge and wisdom. Due to the absence of the creature’s creator, he states he wishes to be Adam, conveying his envy for a genuine and proper upbringing. Adam and the creature resemble the contrasting outcomes of how creators can shape mental states of vulnerability.
As Volume II progresses, the creature slowly identifies with Satan. In Chapter 6, we are shown his jealousy of human happiness as he watches the warmth and affection in the De Lacey family. Due to the creature being rejected by Victor and society, he turns his suffering into hatred. This relates to Satan’s upbringing, as he is filled with envy of Adam’s nurture.
Shelley symbolizes the creature’s moral corruption to Adam and Satan, illustrating the universal response that motives are responses of the creator’s neglect and abandonment.

*233

Mary Chilton noyes

1/13/2026 06:31:13 pm

I think your analysis really gets at the heart of the novels critique of Romantic ideals. It's not just about nature versus nurture; its about the responsibility of the creator and the impact of social context on the development of the individual. You conveyed this ideal extremely well.

1/13/2026 10:06:03 pm

I really liked how you explained the creatures connection to both Adam and Satan. I agree that his innocence does start off like adam but then with his experiences with rejection it slowly pushes him towards the traits of Satan. I also think that your point about the creature envying Adams upbringing was really interesting because it shows how much he is suffering comes from being denied of love. even though he watches the DeLacey family and wants to belong, the constant rejection does shape his bitterness making his anger justiciable. I think your response made me think how much someones environment can shape someone from where they came from initially.

1/18/2026 03:16:56 pm

WC: 111

Emily Warren Roebling

1/8/2026 12:47:42 pm

Personally I think the creature most closely resembles Adam and not Satan. Adam is a man who started off innocent and confused, and he took the guidance of God until he was tricked by Satan. That's when he becomes “evil”, it happens because of the environment around him. Satan seems inherently evil from the start and really just chose his own (selfish?) pleasures compared to Adam. The creature, like Adam, starts innocent and confused, he doesn't really understand anything. That was until he experienced human nature and learned the evil humans are capable of. Like Adam, the creature learned evil, he wasn't born with it or chose it. Although I do see the connections between the creature and Satan, I don't think there's as much connection as there is with him and Adam. Really the only thing I see with Satan is that they envy their creators, but I also feel like the creature shares more resentment than envy. He didn't want to be created, he just wanted to die and go back to death. The creature envies the bliss ahead he literally can't touch, Satan wants power, pride, control, and worship, that's not really like the creature at all.

1/16/2026 07:46:53 pm

I enjoy the way you distinguished Adam’s learned evil from Satan’s chosen malice, because that distinction feels essential to understanding the creature’s moral development. Your focus on the creature’s exhaustion and lack of ambition makes it clear that his violence grows out of deprivation rather than pride or a desire for power. I also appreciate how you push back against the idea of innate evil and instead show how constant rejection shapes his identity over time. The creature is not driven by rebellion, but by the pain of being denied connection and belonging. By framing his actions as the result of a world that offers him only isolation and loss, your response makes a strong case that his moral decline is a consequence of neglect rather than a deliberate choice.

1/8/2026 05:56:17 pm

In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, the creature is more similar to Adam. Like Adam, the creature is brought into the world with no guidance, no parents, and no companions. He does not choose to be evil; he begins his life innocent and curious. His suffering comes from being abandoned by his creator. While the creature has no one, on the other hand, Adam had God and Eve by his side.

In the book, the creature recognizes that it's the first of his kind, similar to Adam who is also the first of his kind. Like Adam, the creature must navigate the world on his own learning about life, language and human emotions alone. While Adam has God to teach him Eve as a companion, the creature has no one to guide and support him, which makes his experience of loneliness heightened. As a result, the creature's anger develops. When he tries to approach others with kindness, the response is of fear and violence.This makes him bitter and develops a feeling of revenge over time. Unlike Satan, who willingly rebels out of pride and creates destruction, the creature reacts violently to the hatred and alienation he faces as it also longs for love, companionship and acceptance. Therefore, the creature is more like Adam because he is created innocent and compassionate and only becomes angry after being denied the love and companionship that Adam was given.

1/8/2026 05:57:45 pm

234 words

1/13/2026 09:46:08 am

I agree that at first the creature represented Adam. The creature was innocent before being introduced to a world full of fear. However, when you say, ”Satan, who willingly rebels out of pride and creates destruction, the creature reacts violently to the hatred and alienation he faces as it also longs for love, companionship, and acceptance,” I feel as though the creature also does the same as Satan. The creature ultimately sought revenge, even asking for a science-made bride to alleviate his feelings. The creature’s anger is rooted from Victor’s abandonment, but also out of pride due to the way he threatens Victor and his family.

1/13/2026 02:48:11 pm

I too think that the creature resembles Adam more than Satan, but he still has the characteristics of Satan. When you think about it, during his creation, he was first innocent like how we all are when we are first born. We are expected to be taken care of and has even said "I ought to be thy Adam; but I am rather the fallen angel." He points himself out as the fallen angel because the more he learns out about how cruel the world can be especially after Victor left him, the creature becomes more isolated and bitter which now this comes to more of Satan's characteristics. No one is born evil, but being denied the care you were suppose to be given, can you become hopeless and denied by society just like the creature was. Because in this, Shelley was trying to explain that the creature isn't born evil, but when you are abonanded by the one who was suppose to care for you the most, can make you turn to be a rebellion in a way. But the creature wasn't always like that, he was innocent and learning about the world, until one day, he became scared of rejection and the fear of abandonment.

1/13/2026 06:26:50 pm

Initially, the creatures connection to Adam is rooted in a fundamental understanding of isolation and loneliness. Like Adam before the creation of Eve, the creature exists in a state of solitude, cut off from connection and belonging. This shared experience creates an initial empathy, a sense of kinship based on the fundamental human need from companionship. Both Adam and the creature are, at the outset, without a pre-existing social structure, thrust into a world they do not understand, and forced to navigate their existence alone.

However, as the narrative progresses the creature's perspective shifts dramatically. The creature's observations of the DeLacey family, his "protectors," introduce feelings of envy and resentment. He witnesses their joy, their bonds of love and affection, and he yearns for a similar connection. This longing, however is coupled with a sense of inadequacy and exclusion. He views the family's happiness as something unattainable for him, and this disparity breeds bitterness.

This is where the creature's identification with Satan becomes more pronounced. Satan, in Milton's Paradise Lost, is a figure driven by pride, envy, and a refusal to accept his subordinate position. He resents God's authority and the happiness of those who enjoy God's favor. The creature, similarly, resents the happiness of the DeLacey family and his own perceived inferiority. He, too, experiences a form of rebellion against his creator, Victor Frankenstein.

The creature's actions also mirror Satan's. Just as Satan seeks to corrupt and destroy, the creature, consumed by rage and despair, commits acts of violence and seeks revenge. His destructive actions, like Satan's rebellion, stem from a deep-seated sense of injustice and alienation. In essence, the creatures journey mirrors Satan's fall. His initial connection to Adam is superseded by the darker, more complex, and ultimately more compelling resemblance to the fallen angel.

Agnes Pockels

1/17/2026 11:25:24 pm

I really like how you explained the creatures shift from relating to Adam to feeling more like Satan. It comes across as super natural and kind of heartbreaking. Youre right that at first its all about that deep loneliness they both share, being totally alone with no one else like them and just hoping for some kind of connection. Then watching the De Lacey family totally flips things. Seeing their happiness every day makes the envy and anger build up in a way that really does feel like Satan looking at Eden and hating how perfect it is. I agree the sense of being left out and treated unfairly pushes him to rebel against Victor, just like Satan rebels against God, and it turns his hurt into violence. Your breakdown made the whole thing click for me even more. Shelley really shows how rejection can change someone completely.

1/13/2026 09:47:33 pm

I personally think that the creature leans more towards Adam than Satan, although sometimes he does show Satan-like anger. In the beginning, he is more curious and focuses on trying to understand the world where he didn’t ask to be created. His desire to learn and make sense of his surroundings shows that he wants companionship and connection, which shows his Adam-like side. He learns from the world around him like people, emotions, and life, all by himself. Similar to Adam, he is optimistic. However,unlike Adam, the creature is alone. He doesn’t have the support or guidance, and people treat him with cruelty because they are afraid. This constant loneliness is what shapes his bitterness and anger, which shows the Satan-like side of the creature. But underneath his actions they come from the pain of wanting to be understood, not power like Satan. Shelley shows us that the creature is not born evil, but the world made him like that, all leading me to believe that this makes the creature lean towards Adam, not Satan due to the longing to be accepted being a priority highlighting his humanity.

1/16/2026 09:47:53 am

I agree with your response, and I made a similar argument about the creature identifying more with Adam than Satan. Like Adam, the creature is created without consent and depends on his creator for guidance and companionship. In the line “Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay.” This shows both being innocent and isolated, questioning their creators rather than choosing rebellion. Unlike Satan, who knowingly rebels against God, the creature does not choose evil. His suffering comes from Victor’s rejection and abandonment, not from an inherent desire to cause harm. I also like the idea that the creature later becomes more like Satan as a result of neglect. Shelley initially frames him as Adam-like, but repeated rejection shifts his identity. This progression shows that his violence is learned rather than natural and reinforces Shelley’s message about the consequences of abandoning one’s creation.

1/18/2026 03:17:27 pm

WC: 189

1/16/2026 09:48:58 am

In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley uses John Milton’s Paradise Lost to shape the creature’s understanding of himself, first aligning him with Adam and later pushing him toward a Satanic identity. Like Adam, the creature enters existence without choice or guidance, innocent and completely alone. This shared origin without belonging is captured in his observation that he and Adam are “united by no link to any other being in existence.” At this early stage, the creature seeks connection rather than dominance, mirroring Adam’s initial dependence on his creator. However, this parallel weakens as their experiences sharply diverge. Adam is granted companionship, protection, and instruction, while the creature is immediately abandoned by Victor and repeatedly rejected by humanity.
Sustained neglect forces the creature’s development into a Satanic mold. Witnessing the warmth of human connection only heightens his own isolation, transforming initial curiosity into corrosive resentment. Shelley makes clear that the creature’s so-called evil is not innate, but instead a calculated response to the injustice of being created only to be forsaken.
By invoking the Satanic parallel, Shelley challenges traditional moral frameworks and argues that monstrosity is manufactured rather than born. The creature’s violence becomes a tragic reflection of Victor’s neglect, placing abandonment at the center of his downfall. Ultimately, Shelley shifts responsibility onto the creator, suggesting that the most dangerous monsters emerge when authority operates without empathy.

1/17/2026 11:33:23 pm

I like how you showed the creature moving from Adam to Satan. Both start out innocent and very alone, just wanting love from their creator. But Victor leaves him right away, and people keep rejecting him. Seeing the De Laceys happy makes him feel left out and angry, like Satan envying the joy in Eden. His violence comes from feeling wronged and abandoned, not from being born bad. You make a strong case that Shelley blames the creator, not the creature, for what happens. It really shows how neglect can turn someone destructive.

106 words

1/17/2026 11:22:01 pm

After thinking about how the creature connects with Paradise Lost, I really believe he ends up being more like Satan than Adam. At first, it makes sense that he sees himself in Adam. They’re both these one of a kind creations with no family or anyone else like them. He starts out so innocent, just wanting Victor to love him and look after him the way God took care of Adam.
But then Victor takes one look at him, gets horrified because of how he looks, and basically abandons him right there. That changes everything. The creature spends his days watching the De Lacey family, how happy and close they are, and it fills him with this painful jealousy and anger, just like Satan felt when he looked at all the perfect happiness in Eden. Adam had a beautiful body, a perfect home, and Eve to share everything with. The creature gets the opposite with people scream and run from him, and he’s completely alone. All that rejection and loneliness turns his kindness into bitterness and revenge, making him feel a lot more like the angry, fallen Satan.
I think Shelley is showing that when a creator rejects and abandons what they made, even something that starts out good can become destructive.

198 Words

AP Literature and Composition Blog

Discussion Question: Literary Illusions

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