Question

Read this excerpt from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein: I have good dispositions; my life had been hitherto harmless, and, in some degree, beneficial; but a fatal prejudice clouds [people's] eyes, and where they ought to see a feeling and kind friend, they behold only a detestable monster (176–177). Which theme is best conveyed by this quote? A. Outward appearances can be deceiving. B. Misery loves company. C. People who hurt often hurt other people. D. A word spoken in hate can injure more than the sword.
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Answer 1

Answer:

The correct answer is A. Outward appearances can be deceiving.

Explanation:

In the quote, we can see that Frankenstein's monster (if we should call him that) tells us how he is harmless and can even be beneficial (meaning, helpful, useful), but all people choose to see is his appearance rather than what's inside.

Namely, Doctor Frankenstein brought a corpse back to life and thus created his monster. Obviously, a reanimated corpse looks scary and people often cannot see beyond the physical, which is something the monster is lamenting in the quote above. He says that even though he may look like a monster, his characteristics are not monstrous, and that people shouldn't read the book by its cover (in other words, outward appearances can be deceiving).