Frankenstein Themes Similar with Wolverine - Essay Example

Victor Frankenstein was interested in scientific phenomena from a tender age, which saw him excel in science subjects in school. He was especially interested with science that involved reanimation of dead organisms. This saw him experiment with the practical application of his ideas, and his eventual creation of an actual living being, which he later disowned setting the scene and characters of this book. This paper focuses on discussing the themes presented in the book titled Frankenstein and comparing and contrasting with those presented in the film Wolverine.

Wolverine is a movie based on a comic book character who went by the name Logan, but whose real names were James Howlett from Alberta, Canada. James witnesses the death of his father murdered by their farm hand called Thomas Logan. This scene prompted his special abilities or mutation to manifest itself for the first time and James Howlett kills the farmhand using his retractable claws. James’ mother casts him away for this deed, and he runs away to the wilderness where he lives with wolves and Indians.

James adopts the name Logan because he comes to learn that the farmhand he had killed was his biological father. He joins the Canadian military alongside his half brother Creed who is also referred to as Sabretooth in comics. The themes of family, isolation and society are brought out in the Wolverine film by the fact that Logan is shunned from the time his family and society discovers his abilities. The same is seen in the book about the “Creature” that Frankenstein created. This is because he cannot stand the sight of his creation (Coghill 31).

In the film, the Wolverine is depicted as a person who does not get along with other people and prefers to be alone (Edwards 3). This is in contrast with Frankenstein’s “monster” because it seeks to be part of society for it considers itself human, and it strives to do this by learning how to speak and read. The society, in both the film and the book, do not accept these characters, in its stead, shun and persecute them. Isolation from society robs Victor, his ‘Monster’ and Wolverine in the movie, all connection with family and they lose sight of consequences and responsibility of their actions.

Revenge is a theme that is central in both the film and the book because Wolverine is seen seeking revenge from his ‘creator’ the army general Stryker for being the root of his problems (Edwards 2). Wolverine’s quest for vengeance satisfactorily depicts the theme of revenge in the book about Frankenstein’s monster. The Monster in the book, seeks to enact revenge on its creator, Victor for shunning and refusing to accept it by giving it a name (Coghill 40). This is excellently brought out in the film Wolverine, whereby Logan goes to great lengths to fulfill his revenge mission.

Prejudice as a theme that is illustrated in the film where the Wolverine character is discriminated against based on his nature even among his fellow mutants. This is depicted as a character flaw in humans who judge someone from their outward appearance without making an effort to know someone. Logan’s rejection by his family serves as an example of how Frankenstein’s monster was shunned from one part of society to another. The monster started out as an agreeable character who only wanted to be accepted the way he was, but due to society’s prejudices, these feelings were turned to anger and hatred towards those who rejected ‘it’.

Lost innocence in the film is a theme that is illustrated from the onset of the movie when James Howlett murders their farmhand. His innocence as a 14-year-old boy is destroyed by the realization that humans are prone and capable of horrible deeds.