Title: Pity the Monsters
Author: Charles De Lint
Date of First Publication: 1991
Place of Publication: The Ultimate Frankenstein
Type: Short Story
Characters: No Character
Themes: ANDROID; SYMPATHETIC MONSTER; BYRONIC HERO
Critical Summary: Charles De Lint’s story, “Pity the Monsters” starts with an elderly woman speaking to a monster about how she once used to be beautiful. She mentions that she was disappointed that she had no other talents or remarkable things about her besides her outward appearance. The monster does not say anything but just stares at the ceiling seeming to be lost in thought. The story then transitions over to another character, Harriet Pierson as she is pedaling rapidly down a snowy street on her bicycle headed to the library. Suddenly, a large shape appears from the heavy snow in the middle of her pathway. To avoid crashing into it, she makes a sharp turn and ends up falling from her bike. Harriet gets up and slowly makes her way back to her bike but finds that it is broken. She notices the tall figure standing in front of her and looks up at its disfigured face. She even tries to find bolts in its neck though finds herself silly for doing so. She recalls that it this figure looks like something Victor Frankenstein would have created. She is overcome with dizziness and tries to apologize. As she begins to faint the giant reaches out and catches her.
Harriet wakes up in an abandoned building and she hears in the distance someone speaking, one person’s voice is going on and on with no one else responding. Harriet remembers what happened before she fainted and gets up, searching for the person behind the murmuring voice. She runs into an old woman named Ann Boddeker who prefers to go by the name Flora who is making tea. Harriet finds out that she has been brought to the bad side of town and doesn’t know how to get back home. Harriet tells the story of how she fainted of her bike and recalls the giant she met in the snow. Flora asks if he spoke to her and Harriet says no. Flora informs her that it must have been Frank who brought her here. Harriet asks if there’s more than one like him, Flora gives a vague yes and no answer and tells Harriet to go ask him herself even though Frank has been said to be mute. Doing as the old woman says, Harriet goes to the next room to find the giant sitting on the floor but singing in a childlike manner, playing with the contents of Harriet’s purse. While trying to back away, Harriet bumps into the wall making noise and the giant notices her. Frank looks up and at first his gaze is kind, innocent like a child’s but suddenly they darken, he knocks over the things around him and starts towards Harriet claiming that she is his. Harriet flees and runs back to the previous room. Harriet realizes the Flora isn’t someone she can trust and backs away. The giant enters the room and Flora tells him to calm down, calling him “Samson.” Harriet remarks that she thought his name was Frank. Flora explains doctors say he suffers from dissociation and there are a documented seventeen personalities inside him. Frank is harmless but others like Samson are prone to violence. Flora mentions that he was institutionalized when he was a young boy after his father threw him through a plate glass window and tried to stitch him back up with the parts of other people. The giant reckons that’s how he got all of his different personalities. Flora also says the institution is where she met the giant. Harriet is horrified tries to leave, Flora tells her she doesn’t have a say in the matter because Frank wants to start a family and so she must stay. Flora accuses Harriet of being filled with self-importance and never thinking of anyone else, judging Harriet based on her well to do appearance. Flora asks if Harriet thinks Frank likes to be this way causing a growl from Frank. Harriet responds by saying it’s got nothing to do with her and eventually manages to flee out into the snow. She is found by two police officers and is taken to a hospital. There she tells them the details of the two who kidnapped her and the police are familiar with the two fugitives. Harriet overhears the two police officers talking in the next room, and learns that the two fugitives killed their therapist during a power failure at the institution. They surmise that Boddeker was the one that put Frank up to the killing as he doesn’t quite have a mind of his own. It’s also mentioned that Flora poisoned her family and that’s how she ended up at the institution. We cut to Flora talking to the giant again saying that she’ll find him another mate, but finally they put one together, creating a mate for him the same way he was created. The monster says nothing but just stares of into the distance, seemly to be lost in thought.
Android is one theme that is applied here because the father tried to recreate what resembles a human but is not quite human. There are parts of him that feel as others do but then other personalities that just want to destroy. A suggesting part of this theme is whether or not men should mettle with creation beyond what nature does. The sympathetic monster theme is played here as the giant was abused as a child, having been said to have a lunatic for a father. It is also true what Flora said that he didn’t ask for any of this and all he wishes for is someone to start a family with. Also, he’s sympathetic in the fact that he is being manipulated by Flora to do bad things. The tides are turned on Harriet as she is accused of being selfish and a monster for not seeing past his flaws (pretty unreasonable to ask of someone you just kidnapped but still fits within the theme.)
Administrative Notes: Ariel Garcia CSUF; Allison Archer (editing)