The Excuse of Generational Trauma in Frankenstein: Introduction

Introduction

I will preface this by saying that I have not yet finished the novel and some might deem this an injustice to evaluate and form judgements about characters before knowing their end. Islamically speaking, we are judged by Allah according to how we turn out to be by the end of our lives as known in the hadith:

"...By the One, other than Whom there is no deity, verily one of you performs the actions of the people of Paradise until there is but an arms length between him and it, and that which has been written overtakes him, and so he acts with the actions of the people of the Hellfire and thus enters it; and verily one of you performs the actions of the people of the Hellfire, until there is but an arms length between him and it, and that which has been written overtakes him and so he acts with the actions of the people of Paradise and thus he enters it.”

[Part of Hadith 4 from Imam Al-Nawawi's 40 hadith. Sourced muttafaqun alayhi (Bukhari and Muslim)]

However, the wisdom of this hadith is to serve as a warning to those who are self-amazed and a source of reassurance for those who sincerely wish to repent. It is not an excuse for one to do whatever one pleases and intend to rectify themselves before their death. Likewise, one does not enter paradise on account of their own good deeds but through the mercy of Allah. Regardless, it returns to being one who truly believes in Allah and belief is not merely a sentiment but it is demonstrated in both action and inaction. For example, one is rewarded when they refrain from doing wrong but no one would know this except Allah the internal struggle the person experienced to withhold themselves.

Returning to Frankenstein, it may seem strange to expound on Islamic principles whilst analyzing a novel closely associated with Halloween and involves a character who takes from corpses to create a lifeform. However, it has allowed me a way to safely take a critical lens of personality traits and societal values without targeting any specific living person or group of people. Moreover, the goal is to walk away with the ability to discern right from wrong in any context irregardless of what society deems as ethical at any given point in history.

In this reflection, I seek to call attention to the potential dangers of being like Frankenstein who repeats the mistakes of his forefathers or being like his monster who uses the mistakes of its own "father" as an excuse for his treacherous deeds. The focus of this is to consider a trait of the disbelievers mentioned in the Qur'an:

"And when it is said to them, "Follow what Allah has revealed," they say, "Rather, we will follow that which we found our fathers doing." Even though their fathers understood nothing, nor were they guided?"

[Surah Baqarah, Ayah 170]

This trait encapsulates both sides of an issue that is swept under the rug within our communities that while our relatives are to be treated with respect and mercy, they can potentially lead us astray if we obeyed them blindly. This is the same trait present in the disbelievers who when they are offered a new way of life that is more beneficial to them, they hold onto traditions rather than holding onto the truth.

Volume I of the novel focuses on Victor Frankenstein's misguided passions to create life and the realization of his goals; whereas Volume II reveals the monster's experiences after it was abandoned by Victor. In the next post, I will demonstrate how Victor convinces himself that he led a happy childhood and life but in reality, he experienced neglect, ostracism, and coercion.