f the results? His intentions were to end death, but instead the result was the formation of something that was hideous to the human eye and unaccepted by the human race. Victor definitely was not thinking of the creature itself when he created it. He didn’t consider the ethical implications of his creation and therefore the outcome was not that of what he expected. “A mummy again endues with animation could not be so hideous as that wretch. I had gazed on him while unfinished; he was ugly then, but when those muscles and joints were rendered capable of motion, it became a thing such as even Dante could not have conceived” (Shelley 43). When comparing Frankenstein’s work to genetic engineering today, it is almost frightening to think of the things that could occur. Very little has been discovered in the path towards successfully creating human life, but other experiments in that field have been conducted. There is a parallel between Frankenstein and genetic engineering today. Genetic engineering is potentially a beneficial new technology when used in the right way. It can benefit the human race in the areas of disease prevention, the longevity of human life, and the production of foods. However, genetic engineering could potentially wipe out the human race if used incorrectly. Extreme examples include: biowarfare, toxic genetic engineered foods, or mutated viruses. What we don’t want is Frankenstein’s laboratory reinvented where the experiments are done in the dark, secretive, and with very little forethought or oversight. Genetic engineering today must be open, carefully scrutinized, and thoroughly tested before releasing its products to the public. Let’s throw open the doors and turn on the lights in Frankenstein’s lab....
