Emerson’s theory on books from his speech, “The American Scholar,” argues that while books are beneficial to foundational components of one’s education, they limit the mind from thinking further than the thoughts already presented to it. The education of Shelley’s the monster from Frankenstein echoes this theory, as the books he reads help him understand the world around him and himself but give him reason to justify his growing detestation for humans, therefore preventing him from looking past this hate.