It is often said that all a person needs to get by in life is to be loved by someone. If this is true then nearly everybody in this world has everything they need because most people are lucky enough to be loved unconditionally by their parents. However, sometimes love and attention is all children get from their parents. Children also need discipline and moral lessons from their parents in order to be successful adults. Applying this idea to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus, Mary Shelley appears to be showing us through the creature and Victor Frankenstein's behavior that discipline and, most importantly, guidance are necessities when raising a child.
             The story begins with Victor Frankenstein telling Walton, who Victor had taken refuge with in the Arctic, about the most important years in his life. As readers, we learn that Victor was part of a wealthy family from Geneva. His mother was younger than his father was and she was caring and devoted. Victor said she "possessed a mind of an uncommon mould; and her courage rose to support her in adversity" (32). Victor's parents loved him and each other very much: " Much as they were attached to each other, they seemed to draw inexhaustible stores of affection from a very mine of love to bestow on me" ( 33). Too much love and devotion caused Victor to be spoiled. His parents referred to him as being "the
             innocent and helpless creature bestowed on them by Heaven, whom to bring up to good, and whose future lot it was in their hands to direct happiness or misery, according as they fulfilled their duties toward me" (33).
             Victor describes his childhood by saying, " No human being could have passed a happier childhood than myself. My parents were possessed by the very spirit of kindness and indulgence. We felt that they were not the tyrants to rule our lot according to their caprice, but the agents and creators of all many delights which we enjoyed" (...