What does it mean to be Human?

What does it mean to be Human? ...hmm, what does it mean to be a Homo Sapien? Wait one second before answering this question. What was different from the first sentence compared to the second? The word Homo Sapien vs. Human. As a casual reader, the difference between the world Human and Homo Sapien can not be differed, but as an analytic reader, there is a clear difference between the two; that is, the biological connotation. The noun "Human" does not hold a biological rather definition, rather a philosophical or ethical connotation contrary to the noun "Homo Sapien" which has an organic connotation. This slight difference is wording contributes to a large part of understanding the aspects of the verb "to be a Human."
Seen through the work of Frankenstein, is Mary Shelly's search for such a question. Through the character of the creature/ the monster, Shelly defines a Human as a form of life that has emotions and feelings for not only himself, but for the world, nonetheless, society as a whole. The term humanistic perspective of life, often deals with collectivist and the external locus of thinking- the views of society being superior to that of one's self.This definition clearly fits the creature- this is because he holds the ability to introspect and feel for him and his surroundings/ environment. This can clearly be seen following the creation of the monster, when he is found roaming the forest, and sees a cabin- the De Lacey house hold. This is his first step in understanding emotion-as he is observing the family through the peep in his wall, he becomes immune to the feelings of poverty and sorrow (over all sadness). In fact, his ability to relate to Felix proves that he is truly Human. Even though the monster has not yet experienced the emotions of reuniting and love, he is able to comprehend true love when Felix reunites with Safie. At this moment, the monster reaches a state of introspection, stating: "of my creator, I was absolutely ignorant, but I knew that I possessed no money, no friends  no property. I was not even of the same nature. Seen in this excerpt is the ability for the monster to comprehend the meaning of life, essential to what a human's goal is. Later on in the novel, we see that the monster really characterizes himself as human when he talks to victor in anger and sorrow about his betrayal; he says: "God in pity made man beautiful and alluring, after his own image; but my form is a filthy type of yours" (154). The fact that he considers him self to be a form of Victor, indicates that perceives himself as human and regards Humans through an emotional sense. He believes that a Human is not one that is given birth by a mother, but one that is created and has the ability to feel for the world. 

An Adam without Eve

An Adam without  Eve
Have you ever wondered about the saying "A man's right hand is his lady," or "A man is incomplete without a women," or "A man's best quality comes from his companion?"  I can't say that I have completely thought about these saying either, but after closely analyzing Frankenstein, I can say, that either of those sayings are quite universal and literal. How so? The story of Adam and Eve. Perhaps before I get into the symbolic relationship of Adam and Eve and Frankenstein, I should explain my brainstorming. First, let me tell you first about the prevalent, thematic theme of the Overreacher that is so highly emphasized through the novel. Victor Frankenstein is known to be the creator of Frankenstein, the one that brought life to the dead. In essence, Victor serves to the be the Sire of the text. In his lust and pursuit for knowledge comes the title of a higher human being. His affection for intelligence, a new discovery, for life, has made him a "creator," perhaps somewhat, God like.  But is this true? Does Victor fit the true definition of an overreacher just for his creation of a male monster? In my thoughts...no. The true definition of an overreacher is one that creates for the happniess of other, for society- their acts are purely selfless. Although, Victor is quite the contrary; though it may seem that he is made this creation in order to give society a glimpse of where knowledge can take you, this is not the case. The novel reveals that Victor created this monster simply for pride- he wanted to be named a creator, an overreacher..but in reality, he does not deserve such a title. This is purely because he did not complete his task of an overreacher; the tasks being: to create, to comfort, to aid. He created...but did he comfort, did he aid the life of the monster? No. In fact, the true overreacher, known to be God, created a creature providing him with comfort and aid- firstly, he gave Adam comfort by presenting him Eve (a companion that he can befriend and love) and with that he gave them nature, the world, in order for them to live. Similar, if Victor gave the monster an "Eve," which he desired to have, he could have been named a true creator, an overreacher. Due to such a fact, Victor can be known as an unjust creator. Take a look at page 117, as the monster says: "...But it was all a dream; no Eve soothed my sorrows, nor shared my thoughts; I was alone. i remembered Adam's supplication to his Creator. But where was mine? he had abandoned me: and, in the bitterness of my heart, I cursed him." This excerpt proves that Victor could only be named a creator, if he had provided the monster with his eve, someone to console and comfort him through his time, but because of a failure to do so, his efforts are only seen as greed. 

The thoughts of my summer, a sneak peak into the lessons of my reading...
Look out a window, stare at the sky; the clouds moving slowly, the trees swaying at ease to the wind, the birds soaring at great heights- a view of peace, a view of serenity. Take a deep breath, and listen to the sound of your inhalation and exaltation; the sound of ocean waves, washing against the shore, the sound of a waterfall-the sound of purity and cleanse. Take a sip of hot honey, ginseng tea; the warmth moving through the the esophagus into the stomach- the feeling of comfort. Hug your fleece blanket from your childhood days; the softness, the childhood memories, the nostalgia that replays- the feeling of adolescence, of security. Take a wiff of the fresh laundry or of a flower in the garden; a sent of sweetness, of freshness- the feeling of a new day, a new start. The senses...these 5 innate gifts from god, from heaven, from where ever you believe they emerged, hold the power to lead ones life out of adversity. It has the power of healing. It has the power to help introspection.
Throughout the days of my high-school career and the multiple literature or language and composition classes I have taken, I have learned the beauty of our senses; not only does it aid the analysis of a poem we are reading in class, or a novel that we must dissect and write about, but also in life. Only a few may take the time to look so deeply into the functions of our senses, more so, analyzing what they do, but I may be one of the few who care to do so.
Over the summer, as I was reading multiple novels, of different authors (The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahari, Three Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat, and Frankenstein by Mary Shelly), I noticed that all authors...okay not all, but most, use the senses as the basis of their writing. Whether it came to expressing the emotions that flowed through a characters mind or to engaging a reader in order to feel a characters pain and sorrow, the senses were used to do so. In fact, Frankenstein by Mary Shelly, was a true representation of the beauty of our senses- the essence of life- the understanding of how nature can be our best friend.
It may seem a bit odd, that I would think so deeply of such a forgotten though, but if it is one thing that I have learned from my reading this summer, it is the power of our senses.