Dysfunctional Relationships
While the most obvious dysfunctional relationship is Victor's and the Creature's, it is by no means the only one in the novel. Students need to analyze the various other parental relationships with great scrutiny. In order for the students to understand the different dysfunctions in a home, they must allow themselves to see different family structures that exist in the novel. After all, students might not immediately recognize the term "dysfunctional" but they certainly can recognize unhealthy markers in relationships, whether at home or in school.
To begin with, students must first direct their attention to Victor's childhood upbringing. While Victor paints his childhood as ideal (causing the reader to question his reliability), evidence suggests that through his narrative he places a forced, unnatural emphasis on happiness and the love in his family. Students can discuss the various reasons why an individual might put up a "front" by portraying a home life in a doubtful manner versus giving a realistic view of what their family is truly like. Why do students, like Victor, seem to rely on a fantasy when talking about reality? Is a student's family life too painful or shameful to reveal to the public? Maybe relaying a façade is much safer and more comfortable for students to recount than the harsh reality of what they go home to each day.
Dysfunction continues with Victor as he begins to grow into a college student. While students might only view the problems Victor encountered as a child, they need to follow Victor as the kinds of problems change from home life to academic pursuits. Indirectly, Victor's father, Alphonse, can be held accountable for the creation of the monster (and the subsequent murders) based on his lack of attention to Victor's passion in science. Once again, students can relate to this family dynamic of pursuing the exact thing that your family rejects or dismisses. While it may seem unfair to directly blame Alphonse for the deaths, it is quite a scary idea to realize that had Alphonse taken some interest in his son's studies, then maybe things would have turned out differently. These "What If's..." are timely for my seniors since they will be able to reflect on the last three years of their high school careers, and what role their parents played in where they are right now, both academically and socially.
Is there only one kind of dysfunctional family? Are we to consider Victor and the Creature's relationship the only unhealthy representation of family? There are many different kinds of families who have dysfunction, with no magic potion to make everyone have a happy ending. The DeLacey's are seemingly settled and healthy but their stability soon turns into chaos. As old man De Lacey is on the cusp of giving the creature a chance at human connection, his children burst into the room and rob the creature of this miracle. Ironically, it is when Felix enables his father to see through his eyes that old man De Lacey actually loses his visionary powers. The blinded ones are actually the children who might have literal sight, but are completely in the dark when it comes to compassion and open mindedness. Even for students who have a seemingly perfect and stable family life, looks can be deceiving as is established with the DeLacey's. Once again, students are brought back to the idea that things (and people) aren't always what they seem to be, a fact that they are accustomed to in their own interactions with their peers.
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