Lessons of the Gothic: Great Spirit (Frankenstein)

In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, I have observed the young doctor lusting after knowledge. He was able to reject his superiors opinions without batting an eyelash. He submerged himself in his work for incredible lengths of time, depriving himself of sleep and the loving embrace of his dear Elizabeth. I have recognized this passion in only a handful of fellows, but I believe I know the source of this great spirit in the gothic and in the real world. Every one of these characters, real and fictional, ask themselves what they desire most out of the world and set a fantastical goal, an end that is not of the material, monetary, or of person. A worthy pursuit that cannot be taken away unless by death. Frankenstein's end all was towards the elixir of life, to "banish disease from the human frame, and render man invulnerable to any but a violent death!" In actuality, motivation works just the same. If we bind ourselves to persons, money, or objects, as soon as they are stolen from us our motivation and identity also die. This can be seen in the broken heart syndrome of Frankenstein's father when he finds Elizabeth has perished. He dies only a few days later after losing all of his motivation and his will to live. By setting our own fantastical goal, we can maintain our purpose, replenish our motivations, avoid being rooted in tragedy, and work with absolute fervor. With this knowledge, we can also give our own fictional characters worthy goals. These fantastical goals can be used to convince our audience that our characters have great spirit.

Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft, et al. Frankenstein: annotated for scientists, engineers, and creators of all kinds. The MIT Press, 2017.