The Gospel of Frankenstein

I read Mary Shelley's novel, "Frankenstein," and, to be honest, at first, I was very cautious, thinking I was going to find a horror book that might even give me nightmares. But none of that. This story is, without a doubt, one of the best I have ever read, one of the most tender and profound, with exquisite philosophical content. Before sharing a short essay about the work, let me recommend that you read this literary gem that truly left me speechless.

There are many things about this work that are more myth than reality. First, I was very surprised that it was written by a woman and that she did it at the age of 20. I must also note that at no point in the work is the monster described as green and with bolts in its neck. (I later found out that this image began with a 1931 film version, directed by James Whale and starring Boris Karloff as the monster). Another common mistake is to think that it is a horror work or that it intends to scare. Not at all. What it does achieve is confronting us with our desires and obsessions. And as a curious fact, Frankenstein is the surname of Dr. Victor Frankenstein, the creator of the monster; at no point in the work is the creature called that. But due to adaptations, calling the monster Frankenstein became popular.

Now, getting into the subject, I will not go on because the book gives much to talk about; I had hardly ever underlined a novel as much as this one. What I want to share with you and have titled "The Gospel of Frankenstein" is the following:

In the work, Dr. Victor Frankenstein becomes obsessed with the idea of giving life, of conquering death, and what at first seemed impossible, something with good intentions, turned into an obsession that trapped him until he gave life to the creature. When Victor sees the monster he has created, he flees and abandons it. Over time, they meet, and they have a sort of face-to-face where the monster tells his creator what has become of him since he was given life, how much he has suffered because of his appearance, and how much it hurts him to be rejected.

The creature begs Victor to accept him and let him stay by his side, something the doctor refuses. Filled with pain, the monster begs his inventor to give him a companion. He tells Victor, "Please, you must create a companion for me so that I do not wander the world alone," and in the midst of his pleas, he gives an argument: that it is the creator's duty to make his creation happy.

And tell me if there is a more current argument than this: "The creator must make his creation happy." Is this true? In the case of those of us who believe in God, does God, is God obliged to make us happy? Sticking more to the story of the novel, should our creator (God) give us a companion or partner with whom we can go far and be happy just as it was the monster's plan?

The creature no longer only begs Dr. Frankenstein, now he threatens him; he tells him that if he does not fulfill his wish of giving him the companionship he asks for, then he will indeed become an evil being, make him suffer a lot, and kill his entire family.

And once again, they took a picture of us; there we are portrayed, trying to extort God: "Either you make me happy or don't count on me." We are not so far off, who hasn't believed that God is obliged to give us a perfect life to our measure to finally be happy?

In the novel, no, I'd better not tell you what Dr. Victor Frankenstein decided to do with the monster's request, but I will tell you that God, our creator, is not obliged to make us happy. First, because evidently that would make him a slave to our subjective definition of happiness. And you know something about God? He is unmanipulable.

On the other hand, God knows that our happiness will only be found in Him. There is nothing we can achieve that can satisfy our soul. Adam and Eve were in paradise, a perfect place, perfect bodies, with health, no debts, no bad governments, and even so, it was not enough, and they decided to challenge God, thinking that they could create and patent a new and authentic way to be happy, as if something had escaped God's attention while creating everything.

Our happiness is in God, in Jesus Christ, right here, now, nothing more is needed.

Have you heard the gospel of Frankenstein? Do you want to open your heart to the monster and make him your Lord and Savior? Do you believe that God is obliged to make you happy? Will this be another year lost trying to extort God?

"But the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, 'Has God indeed said, "You shall not eat of every tree of the garden"?'"

Genesis 3:1