Frankenstein's transformations, and his namesake

     The transformation of Frankenstein's monster that is portrayed in Shelley's novel to it's other various incarnations can easily be attributed to the style and culture of the era in which the adaptation of the original was done. The 1931 film adaptation that popularized the Frankenstein monster that we all know today, yet the character was different in both physical appearance and on an intellectual level. These changes can be attributed to the desired effect of how the audience perceives and feels towards the monster. For example in the film, the monster is slow and stupid, but is evil in nature because Frankenstein's assistant procured a criminal brain for the monster. In the novel however, the monster starts out as a blank slate, and his emotions and thoughts that develop are a product of his environment and the people he interacts with. This change greatly changes the underlying narrative and our perception of not only the monster, but also who is responsible for him becoming a monster.
     The name Frankenstein is so firmly tied to the monster in my opinion, as a result of his upbringing by his creator, Victor Frankenstein. Frankenstein created the monster, therefore he is associated with it as a father figure along with being the creator. It's only natural that the creation of a father figure share his name. Also, the name serves a reminder to the reader as to who is responsible for creating the monster. I mean that in not only the physical sense of creation, but the creation of a personality, feelings, and other traits that parents bestow upon their children. Frankenstein is largely responsible for what kind of a "person" the monster becomes.