In the novel Frankenstein, the Creature learns to speak and read through observation and interaction with humans. After being abandoned by Victor Frankenstein, the Creature sets out into the world, seeking understanding and companionship. It comes across a small cottage inhabited by the De Lacey family, consisting of an elderly blind man named De Lacey, his son Felix, and his daughter Agatha.
Observing the De Laceys: The Creature secretly observes the De Lacey family's daily activities from a hiding place. It listens to their conversations and interactions, gradually learning the language and syntax of human speech.
Learning Speech: By observing the De Laceys' interactions, the Creature slowly begins to understand the meanings of words and the rules of language. It imitates their speech patterns and pronunciation, teaching itself to communicate verbally.
Learning from Books: The Creature finds a bag of books accidentally left outside the cottage, and it reads them to further educate itself. The books are mainly classic works of literature, history, and philosophy. Through reading, the Creature gains knowledge about human history, societal norms, and the complexities of human emotions.
Interaction with Safie: Later in the novel, the Creature encounters Safie, a young woman who comes to live with the De Laceys. Safie is from a different culture and speaks a different language. The Creature learns from Safie, who is learning the English language from Felix, and they communicate with each other using both English and Safie's native language.