Many lessons are embedded into Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein and the films Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein, including society's views on people who are different. The monster falls victim to a system commonly used to characterize a person by only his or her outer appearance. While some feel it is a trend set in today's culture, this novel represents a long history of stereotypes. Society has set a time-tested code that individuals must follow to be accepted, and those who don't follow this standard are rejected by the crowd and banned simply for being different. The character of the Creature in Shelley's novel Frankenstein is a representative of those who are different and the results of isolation. The Creature in the films Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein starring Boris Karloff suffers the same treatment as the novel's Creature, but it is intensified by the visual of the surrounding characters. The strikingly beautiful Elizabeth, and the handsome Victor Frankenstein set a high contrast to the awkwardness of the Creature. Even the DeLaceys who have very little, are neither dirty nor substantially flawed. It is only the Creature who has an undesirable look, and therefore is cast out of the society. .
The Creature in Shelley's novel first experience with society occurs when the monster ventures into a town. He "had hardly placed [his] foot within the door before the children shrieked, and one of the women fainted"(Shelley 91). At that moment, he .
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realized that he was not like everyone else, so he hides himself away in a hovel adjoining a cottage. .
From this cottage, the Creature experiences life through the DeLacey family. He learns about governments and religions, but most importantly, about benevolence. The Creature wants to do things for the family, and begins to help them secretly. In the film, his importance to the DeLaceys is even more pronounced.
