Frankenstein (1818) - Mary Shelley

I love this novel and could not put it down last night - a sign of a very good book.  Impressive that this text was written by a very young woman at a time when there weren't that many female authors.  I was surprised that 'Frankenstein' refers to the creator of the  'Monster' rather to the 'Monster' itself.  I think it is unfair to label Frankenstein's creation as a monster - it strips away the 'humanity' for a lack of a better term of creature.  Henceforth, I will refer to Frankenstein's creation as the Creature.

The longings of the Creature - love, companionship, comfort - these are all longings of all sentient beings.  How easily we as humans dismiss them in other creatures.  How arrogant! I know Frankenstein isn't about speciesism  but as a vegan,  I can't help but reflect upon this topic.  When I say pigs, cows, etc. are social creatures who care about their young, who grieve for their dead, who long for companionship, suffer, love, experience pleasure as we, humans do, I hear remarks like "Oh, you're anthropomorphising the animals."   What a load of ignorance...  Anyone who has spent time with animals know that what I say is true.  I am most certainly not anthropomorphising the creatures.  This is just what life is, be it human or non-human.  Then, what gives us the right to take away these natural longings of certain animals (cows, chickens, pigs, sheep) while we coddle and demand the good life for dogs and cats (within the context of North America)?  None, if you ask me.  We have wilfully turned a blind eye when it suits us and to have the audacity to claim cruelty and inhumanity when the same is done to a cat.

We are in a sense, the God and 'Maker' of farm animals, pet animals, fur animals - we have purposefully deprived these creatures of their natural longings, habitat, etc.  I think most of us empathize with the Creature as we see the longings (humanity) that are in essence the same as ours, even if he is not entirely human yet we turn a blind eye when it comes to the reality of life of an animal born in captivity for the sole purpose of human use. Chatter but no action.  It is depressing to me and some days I despair more than others.

Humans — who enslave, castrate, experiment on, and fillet other animals — have had an understandable penchant for pretending animals do not feel pain. A sharp distinction between humans and 'animals' is essential if we are to bend them to our will, make them work for us, wear them, eat them — without any disquieting tinges of guilt or regret. It is unseemly of us, who often behave so unfeelingly toward other animals, to contend that only humans can suffer. The behavior of other animals renders such pretensions specious. They are just too much like us. ― Carl Sagan 

The same can be said about Frankenstein's Creature.

Random thoughts:
1. Who are we to judge that someone is flawed and not worthy of love/life just because we consider them "ugly"?
2. Thinking of Island of Dr. Moreau and the ethics (or lack of) in vivisections and biomedical experiments on non-humans.
3. What right do we have as humans to cause the (unnecessary) suffering of another? (human or non-human)