Informal Brainstorming

Throughout the two novels, Frankenstein and R.U.R., we see different points of view on what it is to be human. Throughout Frankenstein we see that no one thinks the creature is a human, but while reading the novel we think what it means to be human. The creature has emotions, moral compass, but the only thing he doesn't have is a companion. In R.U.R., the Robots are very similar to humans and even more efficient. They are given a soul towards the end of the story and the Robots think of themselves as a better version of humans. The only thing the Robots can not do is reproduce because they are not fertile. The Robots and Frankenstein's creature are very similar because they are both superior in a sense to humans. The Robots are smarter and more intelligent and the creature is stronger, faster, and bigger.

The creature labels himself as a non-human in one of his speeches to his creator. The creature says this because he feels that no one can look past his hideousness and show him compassion. What is it to be human? Humans should be able to have abstract thoughts, be able to develop and learn language, and have the ability to solve problems. I believe that both the creature and the Robots have the ability to do all of these. The only thing that the two of them do not have is the ability to reproduce, the creature is not smart enough to make a wife for himself, and the Robots can not re-create each other because they must be taught how to do everything. For this reason alone they can not be human because they can not reproduce.

Essay Brainstorm

For my essay topic, I was thinking about writing on "Being Human" and what that entails. In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein we see a human-like creation that terrorizes his creator. Throughout the novel the creature is being tested and is constantly questioning what he is. Is he a human or a demon? During the novel, the creature has a monologue and refers to himself as a non-human. This helps identify him as non-human, but what makes someone human? The ability to feel happy, sad, love? Frankenstein's creature can do this, but he is lonely and considered an outcast because no one can bear to look at his hideous form.

In Karel Capek's R.U.R., Capek writes about his Robots and how they are the best workers. The Robots have human like skin and are very closely linked to humans. In the opening seen we meet a young woman named Helena, Helena is unable to see the difference between Robots and humans, she confuses the two. Helena also came to fight for the Robots "human" rights. She wants the Robots to be treated fairly and she wants the creators of the Robots to give the Robots souls and feelings, so they can relate to humans.

In R.U.R., Helena, a human, has an encounter with one of the Robots named Radius. Radius says, "You are not as strong as the Robots. You are not as skillful as the Robots. The Robots can do everything. (27)" Radius has been given a better brain and he believes that he should be master over people because the Robots are the superior race.

Frankenstein's creature believes he is non-human, but I believe he is. The Robots in R.U.R. are the same way, people treat them as non-human, but they can manage to do everything a human can, except the Robots can do everything better. Reproduction is a key discussion because the Robots are unable to, but Frankenstein's creature can. Both the Robots and the creature can feel emotions and can think for themselves, but only one can reproduce.

P.S. The website doesn't let you underline the titles...sorry