Mary Shelley’s monster in her novel, Frankenstein, demonstrates John Locke’s theory of tabula rasa– no innate principles in mind. Rather the knowledge of the monster builds from the sensations and reflections he experiences in his striking journey.
All posts by a.chan1
Too Much Books
This is my peer response to Eric Chan’s post.
I agree with Eric saying that school and books are a great source of education, but it cannot be your only kind of education. Man rely too much of his education on books, rather than trying to find the genius within himself. It is true that books are great for teaching the past, but “they are for nothing but to inspire” (Emerson 2). Books should allow your mind to think and create new. For a bookworm, books could be dangerous. People who value books too much lose all their original distinctive thoughts and just accept what’s written inside the book. For book valuers, “Instantly, the book becomes noxious: the guide is a tyrant. The sluggish and perverted mind of the multitude, slow to open to the incursions of Reason, having once so opened, having once received this book, stands upon it, and makes an outcry, if it is disparaged” (Emerson 2). Ralph Waldo Emerson says, “Hence, instead of Man Thinking, we have the bookworm” (Emerson 2). A Man Thinking would be someone who reads about other’s ideas, brainstorms from it, and develops a new modern idea; rather than following ideas from the past. An example of a book worm would be, “the English dramatic poets have Shakspearized now for two hundred years” (Emerson 2). Instead of creating their own poems, they are obsessed with Shakespeare, which is already outdated.
Emerson says college is built from books. He says, “books are written on it by thinkers, not by Man Thinking; by men of talent, that is, who start wrong, who set out from accepted dogmas, not from their own sight of principles. Meek young men grow up in libraries, believing it their duty to accept the views, which Cicero, which Locke, which Bacon, have given, forgetful that Cicero, Locke, and Bacon were only young men in libraries, when they wrote these books” (Emerson 2). This is very true in modern day education, students just memorize facts straight from the textbook. Not many actually go beyond, test the ideas, and develop new ones. But just accepting the ideas written by young men is still wrong. A Man Thinking will go out into nature, explore, and from their discoveries they will produce unique ideas.
I agree with what Eric said about the connection of Locke to this topic. I also want to add on how Rousseau view of books. Rousseau says we should not just learn from books, but rather go out and experiment and experience. From your very own experience, we have a true scholar and not from being mesmerized with ideas of past. Overall, I agree with much Eric has said his post and also “books are well used but abused.”
Transformed Baby Brain
Overall, I agree with what Ariane wrote in her post (https://blogs.baruch.cuny.edu/rethinkeducation/?p=1722).
The monster in Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, had the brain of a baby. He was innocent, helpless, and clueless. The monster was “a poor, helpless, miserable wretch; I knew, and could distinguish, nothing; but feeling pain invade me on all sides, I sat down and wept” (Shelley 11). The monster learned the essentials to living through sensations and reflections. Adding onto Ariane’s examples of sensation was when the monster first arose, he felt a sense of coldness. Due to the coldness, the monster “on a sensation of cold, I had covered myself with some clothes, but these were insufficient to secure me from the dews of night” (Shelley 11). The monster was “delighted at the warmth” provided by the fire and sun (Shelley 11). and After spending days in the forest, the monster’s “sensations had by this time become distinct, and my mind received every day additional ideas” (Shelley 11). Another example was when the monster was observing Felix, Agatha, and Safie in their cottage. From observing how they communicate, the monster could match words with feelings and senses, “the words they spoke sometimes produced pleasure or pain, smiles or sadness, in the minds and countenances of the hearers” (Shelley 12). The monster further learned the senses of happiness, sadness, and other through his neighbors. The monster stated that, “when they were unhappy, I felt depressed; when they rejoiced, I sympathized in their joys” (Shelley 12). With Locke’s sensations and reflections, the monster had transformed his baby mind into a mind full of knowledge.
3 Perspectives of Education
- Describe it:The monster left Frankenstein’s apartment with nothing, but some clothes on. He wandered into the forest and there he began to familiarize with his senses. He was able to distinguish objects in the dark. He learned about how fire can keep you warm, but it can also burn you. In order to keep warm, the monster learns how to keep the fire burning. He searches for berries and nuts because of hunger.
- Trace it: Overtime, the monster learns how to speak, read, and write by eavesdropping on his neighbors. He also learned about emotions. Whenever the monster saw his neighbors were sad, he would be sad. Their emotions reflected upon him. The monster would observe their perfect shape and reflect upon it. He learned that he is a ugly creature and there is no other like him. Through his neighbors, he realized that he wanted something more. He wanted to be like them and become accepted.
- Map it: This part of Frankenstein relates to Locke’s idea of education. According to Locke, education is based on experience from reflection to sensation. The monster is forced to educate himself through his experience in which he tries to survive human life. It was because of the monster’s sensation of cold that led him to put on clothes and to touch the fire. It is because of his sensation of hunger that he learns how to acquire food to satisfy himself. The monster learns the basics of life through his experience in the woods. His experience with his neighbors significantly builds onto his knowledge. There he learns how of the alphabets, world, politics, status of humans, etc. The monster went from a blank mind to a well educated person through his experiences from reflection to sensation.
Dangerous Knowledge
In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the main character, Victor Frankenstein, was unlike other children who wanted to play. He had a strong desire to learn about science. “It was the secrets of heaven and earth that I desired to learn; and whether it was the outward substance of things or the inner spirit of nature and the mysterious soul of man that occupied me, still my inquiries were directed to the metaphysical, or in its highest sense, the physical secrets of the world” (Shelley 2). Natural philosophy was his favorite studies. From then on, he educated himself in these study with books by Cornelius Agrippa, Albertus Magnus, and Paracelsus. At the age of seventeen, Victor left Geneva and attended University of Ingolstadt. He introduced himself to his professor of natural philosophy. His professor informed him that his previous studies were absolutely useless and outdated. He had also met his chemistry professor, in which he decided to his studies in science. His studies in science started the pitfall of Victor’s education. Victor Frankenstein’s thirst for knowledge and senseless curiosity blinded him from all senses. He abandons his social life and family. He stayed in his apartment studying how humans are made and death/decay. Victor Frankenstein decides to give life to inanimate body. Through years of restless work, he created a creature. Victor’s senses finally come back on the night his creature awoke. The ugliness of the creature awoke Victor. If Victor didn’t have strong thirst for knowledge, he could of prevented all the misfortunes that happened to him later on– “instead of that serenity of conscience which allowed me to look back upon the past with self-satisfaction, and from thence to gather promise of new hopes, I was seized by remorse and the sense of guilt, which hurried me away to a hell of intense tortures such as no language can describe” (Shelley 9).
The monster was left on his own. John Locke’s theory of “tabula rasa” is present in the monster. The monster has a blank mind, “No distinct ideas occupied my mind; all was confused” (Shelley 11). It is through his sensations and reflections he learns. He had no knowledge of anything until he was hungry and tired. Through his experiences, his knowledge builds and he educates himself. He learns how to keep a fire burning and how to collect food. On one of his journey to obtain food, he learns his position in society. When a man saw him, the man screamed and ran away. The monster realizes he is not like any human and decides to stay away from humans. The monster stays in a hut and there he learns the basic knowledge of language by eavesdropping on his neighbors. He learns how to read and obtains knowledge of the world, politics, government, status of humans, etc. The monster learns “of what a strange nature is knowledge! It clings to the mind when it has once seized on it like a lichen on the rock” (Shelley 13). The downfall of the monster’s education is when the monster tries to gain the approval of his neighbor. He was attacked by his neighbor and was rejected. Because of the monster’s looks and from his experiences, he knows he would never be accepted in society. This leads him to ask for a companion. Rejection, abandonment, misery, and isolation leads to the monster’s reckless actions. The monster went from an educated and tamed man to a ruthless monster. He and his mind has gone bad. The monster vows to seek revenge on all human kinds. From here on, the monster kills innocent people.
The novel wants to say that knowledge can be dangerous. To pursue knowledge beyond human limits can put us in a dangerous position. Victor’s desire to create humans led to destruction. He went beyond nature’s limit. Walton, just like Victor, is eager to learn more. Walton wants to reach the North Pole, where no other human has done before. He is trapped between sheets of ice and contemplates on whether to proceed. However unlike Victor, Walton decides to go back south. Walton learns from Victor’s story how the thirst for knowledge can be dangerous.
Emile and Sophy
I like Rousseau’s idea of education for children in his Emile: or A Treatise on Education. Rousseau says for a child to grow up healthy is to live in a state of nature. Children should not be bothered with formal education and strict instructions. They should be allowed to explore. We should not be in a rush to educate children and let them enjoy their youthful days. Rousseau also says, “Nature would have them children before they are men. If we try to invert this order we shall produce a forced fruit immature and flavourless, fruit which will be rotten before it is ripe; we shall have young doctors and old children” (Rousseau 7). Hence Rousseau is trying to say we must follow the order of education or else we will be unable to produce a natural, real, and uncorrupted “fruit”.
I also liked Rousseau’s idea of how we should teach children. Rather than teaching from books, why not show it? Rousseau says, “As a general rule–never substitute the symbol for the thing signified, unless it is impossible to show the thing itself” (Rousseau 16). In the text, Rousseau provides us with an example where he and Emile explore a forest and try to find their way back to town. Emile was tired and feeling hopeless. However, through Rousseau’s help they find their way back. It is through this experience that Emile will remember what he learned. He would of forgotten this lecture if he was taught at home. Rousseau supports this with, “Teach by doing whenever you can, and only fall back upon words when doing is out of the question (Rousseau 20). This idea resonates Locke’s idea about experience. It is through experience where Emile’s knowledge expanded.
What bothered me the most in Rousseau’s text was his idea of Sophy. Why must women be “weak and passive” and the men be “strong and active” (Rousseau 35)? Why must the women care for what others have to think of her? It should not concern others what she does. I believe a woman will do just as fine without a man as a man will do fine without a woman. Women are not always dependent on man. Rousseau’s idea of Sophy is extremely ridiculous.
Experience, Education, and Knowledge Come Hand in Hand
In our previous reading, Secrets of Buccaneer Scholar by James Marcus Bach, we identified Bach’s main concern of education being more important than school. He believes that institutional learning settings where we take multiple test is not the way of learning, but rather restricting us. Education is far more than school and can be obtained anywhere we go.
Rene Descartes’s Discourse on the Method of Rightly Conducting the Reason, and seeking Truth in the Sciences supports Bach’s theory/lens. Rene Descartes attended one of the finest schools in Europe. He was a good student and believed “that by their help a clear and certain knowledge of all that is useful in life might be acquired, I was ardently desirous of instruction” (Descartes). Rene Descartes believed what he learned in school would help in life later on. However after Descartes finished his studies, he was in doubt. He stated, “But as soon as I had finished the entire course of study, at the close of which it is customary to be admitted into the order of the learned, I completely changed my opinion” (Descartes). He had problems he couldn’t solve with the material he learned in school. Descartes change of mind about school supports Bach’s theory because Bach believed that school is not an effective way of educating yourself. After, Descartes completely abandoned his studies and “resolved no longer to seek any other science than the knowledge of myself, or of the great book of the world” (Descartes). He spent his time traveling and “collecting varied experience, in proving myself in the different situations into which fortune threw me, and, above all, in making such reflection on the matter of my experience as to secure my improvement” (Descartes). Descartes was building onto his knowledge even when he was not in school. Descartes’s adventure proves Bach’s idea of being able to educate yourself everywhere you go.
John Locke’s An Essay concerning Human Understandings also supports Bach’s theory of education. In Locke’s essay, he says we have no innate principles in mind. Innate means being in the mind when we were born. John Locke answers the question, “Whence has it all the materials of reason and knowledge?” with a one word answer: experience. “From experience: in that all our knowledge is founded” says Locke. He provides us with an example, “that if a child were kept in a place where he never saw any other but black and white till he were a man, he would have no more ideas of scarlet or green, than he that from his childhood never tasted an oyster or a pine-apple has of those particular relishes” (Locke). As Bach said, children should not be trapped in school and should go out to the world to educate themselves. With experience comes knowledge and education.
Pursue Your Passion
James Marcus Bach expresses his ideas about school and education in his book, Secrets of a Buccaneer Scholar. Bach says, “Education is important. School is not. ” (1). According to Bach, school is not necessary, but education is vital. If you feel like school isn’t helping with your education, don’t go. There are other ways and other places to educate yourself because education is way more than school. Bach promotes the idea of self educating, “If you want to prosper in life: find something that fascinates you and jump all over it. Don’t wait for someone to teach you; your enthusiasm will attract teachers to you” (2). He is encouraging students to find something that they are “hungry” and passionate for. Bach is trying to tell us to pursue our passion and work hard. Self educating is different and may be more helpful than institutional educating for certain people. After Bach’s lecture, the teacher comments that his speech was “dangerous.” The teacher believes that the students need to stay in school. Bach disagrees and disregards what the teacher says because he doesn’t believe in schoolism. Bach tells the teacher, “Your job is not to make them huddle quietly in a corral, but to help them get out there and seek their fortunes” (6). Bach is only trying to open up a path for these special students. These special students could some day become successful.
At the Santa Monica High School concert, Kanye West promotes the idea of staying in school and the importance of higher education. Kanye says, “Life is hard. Take advantage of your opportunities” (Moss). He believes that students should stay in school and do as much as they can. Kanye also says, “It is true you can be successful without [college], but this is a hard world, a real world, and you want every advantage you can have” (Moss). It takes a lot of work to be successful after you drop out. There will be tons of struggles along the risky path. Kanye encourages students to not walk the same path he did.
Although Bach and Kanye have different viewpoints on school, they’re some overlaps between the men. Bach and Kanye pursed their passion. Bach was interested in software engineering and Kanye was interested in music. Both of them were motivated by their passion, which led them to be successful. Bach became software test manager and Kanye became a rapper. Bach and Kanye also believe that education itself is very important and is the key to success.