Essay Response: Identify the similarities and differences between Victor Frankenstein and his monster and Rick and Carl

Just as Rick is Carl's father in The Walking Dead, Frankenstein is the father of the monster in Frankenstein. The relationship between Rick and Carl and the relationship between Frankenstein and his monster have some interesting similarities that highlight the father/son dynamic, but also display clear differences. By comparing and analyzing both, they reveal aspects of one another that are not necessarily obvious individually.

Frankenstein is the father of the monster as he is its creator, and of course Rick is Carl's father. We can see that they both want their father's approval: the monster has a twisted sense of gratitude to Frankenstein, trying to show him how he is intelligent and almost human; meanwhile, Carl practices with his gun until his dad deems him worth to carry one. Both "children" are looking up to their fathers. However, Carl looks up to Rick with the innocence and devotion of a young child. While the monster respects, and even tries to prove himself to Frankenstein, he still harbors a hatred and an anger that drive him.

Both fathers, in turn, are proud of their creations. Rick obviously loves and wants to protect his son. "But wait," you may say, "Frankenstein hates his monster!" Well, that may be so, but I argue that deep down, below the hate and rage, he never stops being proud of the fact that he, unlike any before him, created life -- he is a scientific pioneer. Here, though, a difference appears between Rick and Frankenstein: Rick is proud of his son, but Victor more so of himself and his own scientific prowess, which just reflects a bit back onto the monster.

The child that each father creates is willing to commit acts of violence when they feel it is necessary/just. Carl acts by shooting Shane in his confrontation with Rick, and the monster kills on multiple occasions, justifying it in his own mind each time. Each is able to kill for a cause. But, their causes differ significantly. Carl acts almost out of desperation, trying to save his father. The monster kills out of self defense or in order to get to Frankenstein. However, does it really matter what causes one has for killing? Murder is murder, justified or not, and both Rick and the monster have done it.

Finally, both Carl and the monster ultimately protect their fathers, and not the other way around. Obviously, Carl saves his dad from being potentially killed by Shane. However this might not be as clear-cut in Frankenstein -- after all, the monster makes Frankenstein's life hell. However, the monster never actually lays a malicious hand on Frankenstein. He kills his family, out of rage, but Frankenstein himself, the monster preserves. Frankenstein was ready to die, but the monster gave him purpose. And the monster, while Frankenstein was making the female monster, looked over Frankenstein to make sure he wasn't disturbed. So while the affection isn't clear, we can see that the monster, in a strange way, does actually protect Frankenstein, albeit not as obviously as Carl does Rick.

Carl and Rick appear to have a more straightforward -- if still strange -- father/son relationship than Frankenstein and his monster. In both cases, some of the norms are reversed, such as sons protecting fathers, and sons being more less innocent in that both have killed. In the end, though, both have very strong and very odd relationships.