If I could assign one book that every child in the world should have to read, it would be Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. An argument could be made that few novels have influenced pop culture and transclipsed their genre more than this one. I think it would be fair to say Frankenstein is the mother of modern horror.
And what better book, as a new father of a 9 month old son that often reminds me of Victor's monster, is there to reflect on? Has there ever been a worse father than Victor? Are the results of not taking care of things we create better illustrated anywhere else?
Themes of creation, alienation, destruction, and revenge aside: this novel is just great fun. I wrote a paper in high school that argued Frankenstein was a tragic love story -- I'm not sure I can still stand by that assertion, but I do believe it has a lot to do with love (especially what happens when we aren't loved).
Maybe, in May of the year 2020, there is nothing we should consider more than the power we hold over those we share the Earth with, to transform their existence and perspective based on how we treat them. Be good to one another, and show everyone love. What we're seeing now might be a result of not enough people showing each other the empathy that Shelley makes clear all living creatures require to thrive.
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