While these books teach the creature about the failure of society and the lack of justice in the world, the rejection by the De Laceys once he finally reveals himself to the family is his first real example of this.
The creature tells Frankenstein that the books “produced in me an infinity of new images and feelings, that sometimes raised me to ecstasy, but more frequently sunk me into the lowest dejection” (151). Milton’s Paradise Lost is particularly influential to the creature the creature thinks of this work as nonfiction, and compares himself to Satan, “wretched, helpless, and alone. Frankenstein’s monster comes to an even greater understanding of humanity and justice through his readings of the books he found one day while scavenging for food. The creature’s time with the De Laceys exposes him to the love and connection shared by these people, but it is through the family that he also comes in contact with his first example of evil and the vices of mankind, through the story of the newcomer, Safie. He finds great pleasure with his current residence in the hovel besides the shack, stating, “It was indeed a paradise, compared to the bleak forest, my former residence, the raindropping branches, and dank earth. For the first time in his short life, the creature feels that he has found his place in the world, his justice. The monster becomes a secret member of the family, observing the habits of Felix, Agatha, and old man De Lacey.
While he does not have a complete understanding of the make-up of a family, the monster senses the care and love that the three people have for each other, and desires to share in this closeness. This becomes a reality for the monster through his encounters with the De Lacey family. He was created into this world, so it seems only fair to him that he receive a rightful place in it alongside his human counterparts. The definition of justice is, to the creature at this point, acceptance.
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