Essay on Oryx and Crake A Modern-Day Frankenstein

In the novel Oryx and Crake, and the classic Frankenstein, the main characters share very similar characteristics. Both Crake and Victor Frankenstein try to create a new human race which eventually leads to disaster. Also, they childishly refuse to take responsibilities for their mistakes. Even though the two books were written almost 200 years apart, it goes to show that the same problems that affected Victor in 1817 are still affecting the society of the future in which Crake lives in. The embedded Frankenstein story in Oryx and Crake suggests that Crake is a Dr. Frankenstein who refuses to take responsibility for his creations. Crake and Dr. Victor Frankenstein share many similarities, which are shown by their actions. Both Crake†¦show more content†¦By doing this, it foreshadows the troubles in the book that are to come. Victors love for new sciences and interest in things undiscovered is what drives him to create his monster. Victor becomes obsessed with the creation of life. I will pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation. (Shelley 46) The main problem with Victors creation of the monster is that he one, abandons it as soon as it comes to life; and second, Victor did not think of all possible things that could go wrong, or plan very well for the catastrophic project he was taking on. Even though the outcome of Crake and Victors actions may not have had a positive impact on the society they lived in, neither of them intended their projects to end with the negative and tragic effects that they both did. In Frankenstein, Victor is given another chance by the monster to create a second monster, or be killed. Even though in the end Victor backs down from his creation of the second monster, at first he accepts the proposal. I was moved. I shuddered when I thought of the possible consequences of my consent. (Shelley 145) This quote shows that even though Victor subconsciously knew that creating another monster was wrong, he agrees anyway. He knew how it would end. I believe that what Crake did, ended exactly how he planned it also, and if he had the chance to do it all over