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.
Reflections and sensations are the basis of education
| Describe it | Frankenstein’s monster understood how knowledge is gained. After being created, the monster was isolated from society and had no knowledge of anything. He began to analyze his surroundings to learn them. His experiences were key to his development. |
| Compare it | Frankenstein’s monster can be easily compared to his creator; Frankenstein himself. Frankenstein had formal education while growing and was easily part of his society. He had gone to a prestigious university whereas the creature had no type of formal education. However, Frankenstein had learned a lot from his experiences rather than studies at school. Similarly, his creature also learned a lot based on his experiences and interactions with his surroundings. |
| Associate it | This can be associated with several other points made in Frankenstein. Nature is a huge part of how Frankenstein’s creature begins to gain knowledge. He explores the various parts of nature and interacts with it. Locke’s idea about using experiences to gain knowledge also has a lot to do with nature. You create a lot of memories from experiences in nature and it helps build knowledge. |
| Apply it | Locke’s ideology can easily be applied to Frankenstein’s creature’s story. The monster is isolated from the world and goes through a great deal of interactions and understanding of his surroundings to build his education and knowledge. |
| Analyze it | Frankenstein’s monster and conveys the ideology of John Locke. Locke emphasizes how experience is essential in gaining knowledge. Locke’s sensations and reflections refer the physical as well mental aspects of experience. Essentially, the monster’s ambition in interacting with his surroundings supports Locke’s ideas. |
| Argue for and against it | I can argue for this by saying that formal education is not necessarily needed to build knowledge. John Locke’s ideology of having experience to build knowledge actually works in the real world and we also see it occur in Frankenstein.
I can argue against it by saying that experience doesn’t always build knowledge. It entirely depends on what a person is experiencing. Also, sometimes it is necessary to read literary resources to learn about something rather than experiencing it. |
This is not a weekly post and it cannot be a check in, since it is a brainstorming exercise.