Frankenstein in Children's Media

Ever since its inception in 1817, Mary Shelley’s *Frankenstein* has remained a cultural icon. With numerous adaptations in a variety of different media – ranging from but not limited to film, to books, to even manga – the story and themes have remained a pervasive contention amongst contemporary discussions.

Children’s interest in the story has been apparent for decades, with reports of children eagerly lining up to see James Whale’s 1931 film adaptation. It is common to see the story of *Frankenstein* be adapted for child audiences, from the obvious example here of *Frankenweenie* to illustrated storybooks such as *The Frankenstein Journals*. It is also not uncommon to see iterations of the creature appear in children’s media outside of its original story as well, the most notable example being *Hotel Transylvania.*

The reasons why Frankenstein appeals to children and undergoes consistent reiterations in children’s media is one that has been investigated by audiences and critics alike. Certainly, there are themes that would be considered too ‘adult’ or frightening for children to engage with, such as murder, misogyny or contemporary concerns of genetic manipulation. To extend this further, the artistic merit of these adaptations are called into question over the fears of ‘dumbing down’ the darker themes of the source material to make it more suitable to a child’s audience. However, this is ultimately reductive of both *Frankenstein* adaptations and children’s media, as although there are themes some would deem unsuitable or easily overlooked by children, this does not mean children cannot meaningfully engage with these materials.

Potential motifs that resonate with child audiences has been identified; Emily Alder argues that children’s narratives of *Frankenstein –* with close analysis to picture book versions of Frankenstein generally aimed towards younger audiences – emphasise certain themes of story more than others, ‘such as the consequences of misused knowledge, parental abandonment, or social inclusion,’ and often to different effects in tone and messaging. Two prominent examples she gives are Neil Numberman’s *Do Not Build a Frankenstein!* and Patrick McDonnell’s *The Monster’s Monster,* where both stories are twisted to emphasise the message of acceptance and responsibility while grappling with childhood fears of abandonment and social exclusion. Rebecca McKee bolsters this claim, stating that the childlike archetype of Frankenstein’s monster helps children confront issues surrounding fears of abandonment and non-conformity. She ties this back to the importance of children engaging with Gothic media, as the Gothic allows children to engage with these fears and learn to cope with them in a safe environment.

These can be tied back to the presentation of science and scientists and their inclusivity. Other important influences of Frankenstein on these narratives revolve around questions of agency and the mad scientist trope.

### References

1. ↑ ajcblake\_77, 'Frankenstein Adaptations', *IMDb*. 4 November 2013. <https://www.imdb.com/list/ls052277271/> [accessed 5 Dec 2020]
2. ↑  Tom Speelman, 'Manga legend Junji Ito reflects on the power of Frankenstein', *Polygon*. 26 October 2018. <https://www.polygon.com/comics/2018/10/26/18027234/junji-ito-frankenstein-mary-shelley-translation>
3. ↑ Erin Hawley, '"Children should play with dead things": Transforming Frankenstein in Tim Burton's Frankenweenie', *Refractory: a journal of entertainment media*, 26 (2015) <http://refractory.unimelb.edu.au/2015/10/07/hawley/>, para. 1
4. ↑ Ibid, para. 3
5. ↑ Ibid, para. 11
6. ↑ Emily Alder, 'Our Progeny’s Monsters: *Frankenstein* Retold for Children in Picturebooks and Graphic Novels' in Global Frankenstein, ed. by Carol Margaret Davison and Marie Mulvey-Roberts [SpringerLink edition], pp. 209-225 (pg.209)
7. ↑ Ibid, pg.217
8. ↑ Rebecca McKee, ‘The Gothic and The Gross: Frankenstein and His Friend’s Attractiveness to Children’, *Criterion: A Journal of Literary Criticism*, 12 (2019), pp. 57-66 (pg.61)