Romulus My Father

346 Words2 Pages
ROMULUS & FRANKENSTEIN Those that seek individuality rather than being concerned with the larger community may find themselves part of an exclusive group that provides security and contemptment arising from connections developed through shared ideas, attitudes of others and staying true to individual values. This is a struggle that many people face experience and is of great significance in their lives and to the people around them. In the memoir “Romulus My Father” the concept of belonging is explored through displacement, peoples attitude towards others and the need to be part of a society. “Immigrants were tolerated but seldom accorded the respect they deserved”, this is how Gaita describes his fathers and family’s current position within their community. The negative connotations associated with the word tolerated evoke feelings of pity from the reader whilst highlighting and conveying the attitude of the “others” towards Gaita and his family. In Mary Shelly’s novel Frankenstein, the idea of belonging through attitudes of others is further explored within the letters at the beginning of the novel whereby “Walton” is actively pursuing his dream of making a noble discovery until Frankenstein informs him otherwise. Frankenstein openly shares his experience of unchecked ambition consuming his time and life as well as the impact it had on the people around him, which ultimately affected his decisions at a later stage. As a result “Walton” decides to give up on his dream of making a noble discovery and turns back bearing in mind Frankenstein’s story. This concept is also explored shortly after Frankenstein creates the monster, whereby he abandons his responsibilities as a parent by leaving the monster because he deems it an abomination. It is Frankenstein’s attitude towards responsibility that shape the monsters sense of belonging as one of
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