Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (HarperCollins Publishers)
The creation of a companion for Victor's creature may soften the creature's heart and deliver the human world from the destruction that the monster has already done. In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, "You are in the wrong. I am malicious because I am miserable. You, my creator, would tear me to pieces, and destroy my frame, the work of your own hands. Shall I respect man, when he contemns me? If I cannot inspire love, I will cause fear..." (Shelly 115). We see that the monster truly was a benevolent being who, contrary to popular belief, was indeed a kind creature. On page 99, the creature helps to gather wood and food when the Bavarian family needs it most.
The opposing opinion might argue that creating a companion will make the monster more likely to be violent. However, having a companion who cares for the creature will likely raise the creature's ethics making it less likely to be violent. The creature even says so when negotiating with Victor for a companion, "my virtues will necessarily arise when I live in communion with an equal." (Shelley 117). Also, we want to make it clear that we are not rewarding the monster for a bad action - this is more of preventative action and is a win-win for both the monster and Victor Frankenstein.
The opponents may argue that the monster had caused death before, but have we even considered the numerous times which mankind has tried to bring forth destruction to the creature? The monster is kind to and helps Felix's family. But how does Felix respond? What happens when he walks into an ordinary Bavarian village? The citizens scare him away, right? What happens when the creature rescues the drowning girl?
The opponents may also invest in the argument that a companion for the monster will lead to human extinction. This is a non-unique argument. Biodiversity is essential for the health and survival both of our fragile world and Homo sapiens itself. According to ScienceAlert, "But if we look at the rate of our DNA's evolution, we can see that human evolution hasn't stopped – it may even be happening faster than before." We have seen evolution do its work before. When Homo erectus migrated to Europe, they became stout and sturdy to withstand the cold. The Homo erectus who stayed in Africa were of tall stature to release heat faster than their northerly cousins. These changes happened over long periods of time. But now, according to LiveScience, human evolution has sped up to nearly 100-fold of the evolving speed of our ancestors. And just because other creatures may compete with us for resources, they still deserve a share on Planet Earth. For example, only 3% of the Earth's water is potable. Would you strangle our cats, dogs, or any pets just because they consume our resources?
Here is a powerful allusion - Auggie Pullman from the book Wonder by R. J. Palacio. He is shunned at school at first because of his looks. If he didn't have the support and love of his family, or the warmth of his home, it is hard to say he won't end up hating or questioning society. If we can treat the new species with respect, we will be able to co-exist peacefully, instead of being enemies of each other.
The benefits of creating a companion for Frankenstein clearly outweigh the harms. By giving the creature a mate, both the monster and Victor will live good lives. The monster will retire to South America, and Victor will no longer have to deal with the threat of his own creation and own misery.
A question for you, should we create mates for robots?
