Monstrous Consequences

With the Halloween season upon us, I found myself thinking about monsters, ghouls, and other generally creepy little creatures more often than I usually would. Yards filled with inflatable vampires and mummies certainly didn’t help. However, as I read Jeremiah 7-16 and Psalm 49 that week, I was reminded of one horror icon in particular: Frankenstein.

I first read “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley in the 8th grade. My English teacher, Mr. Goen, brought the story of the infamous mad scientist and his creation to life (pun intended), and the novel instantly became one of my favorites. For those who’ve never read the novel, I’ll give a brief summary. “Frankenstein” tells the story of a young genius named Victor Frankenstein who, in his prideful ambition to conquer death, creates a “new life” in the form of his monster. When he is able to bring life to his monster, however, Victor flees from the 8-foot-tall behemoth, leaving it alone to learn about its place in the world. Unfortunately, most of the world is not very open to having a massive, stitched-together beast over for dinner, and so Frankenstein’s creation is shunned from society. While he does find friendship with an old blind man, it does not last, and the creature vows to bring the same suffering and pain he has endured into Victor’s life. After the monster murders Victor’s brother, his best friend, and his bride, Victor only has one thing left to live for: revenge. Victor chases his creation to the Arctic Circle but comes up short and dies of hypothermia. The creature returns to his “father” on his deathbed where he pledges to incinerate himself at the Northernmost point of the globe before disappearing into his icy surroundings never to be seen again.

So, what does this have to do with Jeremiah 7-16 and Psalm 49? Well, at their core, both “Frankenstein” and this week’s readings are about the consequences for one’s actions. Victor and the people of Judah, driven by their pride, choose man-made idols over God. Both run from their responsibilities and for their transgressions are met with punishment. Then, just when you think neither of them could dig themselves any deeper, the people of Judah put their faith in false prophets and continue in their wickedness, and Victor chases his creation, fueled by rage. At this point, punishment is inevitable for both of them, and so death and destruction take their toll, even on Frankenstein’s monster. Thankfully, God is immune to this destructive force, and in his mercy gives the people of Israel a promise: that they will be returned to their homeland.

Jeremiah 7-16 and Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” should serve as cautionary tales for us. As the Psalmist explores in Psalm 49, material pursuits—whether they be Judah’s pursuit of idol worship or Victor Frankenstein’s pursuit of conquering death—do not secure eternity with God. It’s only by focusing on the everlasting truth that is God that we are able to be reborn as a “new life”.