Frankenstein

Last semester I had created three book covers related to horror icons. Each one was done in a different style, from art noveau to psychedelic. I posted the other two, though, I'm still fixing them. This is the third: Frankenstein, done in the style of Art Deco. Hence, the longated look.

For my interpretation of Frankenstein, I wanted to convey a sense of sympathy for the 'monster'. As Frankenstein sparks to life, he touches his face, unsure of what he feels is real. There's a mix of fascination and horror.

There really is something profound to be said of a monster like Frankenstein, which is why I'm absolutely crazy about horror. I'm particularly boggled by the question of 'evil' since, on many occassions, evil can be according to ones perspective. In the case of poor Frankenstein, he was born and, to no fault of his own, quickly labeled a 'monster'. And yet, what of the blood-thirsty mob that hunted him down? Did they not exhibit the very evil they claimed to fight?

In human history, we see this phenomenon happen all the time, whether we're hunting 'witches,' 'terrorists', or, people like Nick Simmons. It never ceases to amaze me how people react, even if the person being hunted is guilty. Some like to excuse their actions by suggesting that "we're only human". And yet, just because we're human does not give us the excuse to act inhumane. If stories like Frankestein can teach us anything, it's that we *all* have the potential for evil. If left unchecked, we all can become the new carriers of that evil.