Académique Documents
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Indiana University South Bend Undergraduate Research Journal
perpetuating fears of blacks as they are always assumed as "Felix darted forward, and with supernatural force tore me from
"savage." Frantz Fanon further notes, "[t]he white family is the his father, to whose knees I clung ... and struck me violently with
agent of a certain system. The society is indeed the sum of all the a stick. I could have torn him limb from limb ... But my heart
families in it. The family is an institution that prefigures a broader sunk within me as with bitter sickness, and I refrained" (121). I
institution" (Fanon 465). initially stated as part of my premise that Whiteness calls its
beneficiaries to vehemently beat into subjection those who pose a
Evaluating the text of Frankenstein, there exists a recurring theme
threat. Felix has conformed to this requirement. We see in this
of infantile filial dependence upon the Europeans by the monster,
scene that the monster, having been stripped of all identity,
which suggests the malleability of his intellect and emotions. He
culture, and companionship has relinquished his claim to
says, "It impressed me deeply. I learned, from the views of social
humanity. He, despite his enormity, flees having never asserted
life which it developed, to admire their virtues ... "(Shelley 114).
himself or making the argument for his self-worth. His value pales
Yet, he has never met the De Laceys. Rather, the monster, from
in comparison to the De Laceys'. Felix has unmercifully beaten an
his hovel, secretly watches the De Laceys' lives. He develops a
innocent to maintain his position. He never inquired of the
delusional relationship with them; one wherein he imagines that
monster, "Who are you?" or "What do you want?" Rather, he saw
they are his "beloved cottagers" and his "protectors" (114-115).
a threat and fittingly proceeded to accost the monster.
The De Lacey family, we see, is the standard from which he
learns values. "One night, ... I found on the ground a leathern What we can surmise, then, is that the extended metaphor of an
portmanteau, containing . . . 'Paradise Lost,' a volume of unnamed creature, subject to affliction and desirous of both
'Plutarch's Lives,' and the 'Sorrows of Werter."' He continues: liberty and companionship, creates a strong allusion to the plight
of African bondsmen. More plainly stated, historiography reveals
I can hardly describe to you the effect of these books .... The
that slaves, like the monster, were stripped of their indigenous
gentle and domestic manners it described, combined with
names, languages, and culture; unconscionably beaten;
lofty sentiments and feelings . . . accorded well with my
constrained in their ability to move about freely; and forbidden to
experience among my protectors. But I thought Werter
marry or maintain the semblance of a family. All of these
himself a more divine being that I had ever beheld or
atrocities forged a nearly complete collective psyche: a collective
imagined ... I did not pretend to enter into the merits of the
psyche which works at once to privilege some while debasing
case, yet I inclined toward the opinions of the hero ...
others.
(Shelley 115).
Works Cited
This celebration of literature produced by the dominant culture
Fanon, Frantz. Black Skin, White Masks. New York: Groves
served to reaffirm their divine, desirable, and superior position
Press. 1967. Print.
and, conversely, his own devilish, unwanted, and inferior state.
Fanon, Frantz. "The Negro and Psychopathology." Literary
This reification of his idealized image of European culture is
Theory: An Anthology. 2d ed. Eds. Julie Rivkin and
affirmed by his words "inclined toward the hero." This is parallel
Michael Ryan. Malden: Blackwell, 2004. 464-69. Print.
to Fanon's theory. Moreover, the works he cites are among the
Malchow, H. L. Gothic Images of Race in Nineteenth-Century
most esteemed in the literary canon. They serve as archetypal
Britain. Stanford: University Press. 1996. Print.
examples of literature. As such, the monster perceives that there
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus. Ed.
are essential standards of "domestic manners" among his
Johanna M. Smith. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's. 2000. 19-
"protectors." We see, however, that his beliefs are unfounded
189. Print.
when he ventures to meet the De Laceys; he is met with brutality.
The Underlying Problem with Education in Indianapolis Public Schools: How an Impoverished Social
Environment has Led to the Decline of Public Schools in Indianapolis
Written by Brandon Rickey
Edited by Paul Clayton and Melanie Peters
Abstract: argues that none of the proposals by the city of Indianapolis have
addressed the said issues.
The author argues that the failing public school system in the
city of Indianapolis is due in large part to the negative social
environment that children in Indianapolis face. The author argues
that an environment of crime and poverty contributes to the lack Introduction
of success of the public school system in Indianapolis. The author Indianapolis is a lively city in the heartland of the United States. It
further argues that if the public school system in Indianapolis is is home to many prominent businesses and has many tourist
going to improve, an effort must be made to address the social attractions that make for a diverse economy. Like many large
environments of many students in Indianapolis. Finally, the author cities, however, it has its share of problems. Among them is the
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