Title: Frankenstein Goes Home
Author: Alan Rogers
Date of First Publication: 1989
Place of Publication: Full Spectrum 2
Type: Short Story
Characters: No Character
Themes: ANDROID; BYRONIC HERO; POSTHUMAN; MAD SCIENTIST/MONSTER; SYMPATHETIC MONSTER
Critical Summary: Frankenstein Goes Home is a modern version of the Frankenstein story. The protagonist is a creation just like the creature that Frankenstein created. The creature is walking through the woods on his way to the place he calls home. He recalls how a mad scientist used multiple body parts from deceased people to create him. The scientist goes by the name Dr. Frankenstein, although it is not his real name. The scientist treats his creation as though it was his own child. However, one word caused the creation to leave Frankenstein’s castle to search for what he considered his actual home. As he travels, he noticed two boys in the distance. He begins to worry that they will see him, panic, and bring attention to him. As he hides behind a tree, one of the boys notices him. The boy is unalarmed and treats him like any other person. This touches the creature who then moves on towards town. While in town, he acknowledges that this town is the town where the two people that his body is made of lived and died. He recalls the tragic car accident which killed them. It was a man and his sister-in-law. He continues through town toward the place he considers home. Outside of that house, memories continue to give more backstory. A woman notices him. It is the wife of the man which half his body is composed of and the sister of the woman whose body he’s composed of. She walks towards him, recognizing her family in him. They have a short embrace followed by her crying, which causes him to leave.
The creation continues his journey through town and stops at a park. He realizes that the townspeople have noticed him and alerted each other. He began to worry that they will attack him, making a reference to the Frankenstein movies. Just then, the wife/sister of the people he is made up of emerge from the crowd and takes him to her home. They spend the night together and she lets him know that her home can also be his. However, he leaves upon the realization that his real home is back at the castle with the mad doctor who loves him.
This short story takes many ideas from Frankenstein. The mad Doctor clearly is aware of who Victor Frankenstein is and wants to be like him, although he does not act the same way towards his creation. The creature makes a reference to Frankenstein movies. Similar to Victor Frankenstein’s creation, this creature is composed of corpse parts. The creature also struggles with his identity and is repulsed by being called a monster. This short story directly indicates the way in which Frankenstein affected both the main story and the characters within the story.
Administrative Notes: Maximiliano Solis Contreras, CSUF; Amanda Howard, CSUF (editing)