Frankenstein: Chapter 16 Summary & Analysis

The family's rejection plunges the monster into a fit of rage. But the beauty of the next day calms him. He decides to approach De Lacey again to try to make amends.

But by the time the monster reaches the cottage, the De Laceys have moved out. He sees Felix terminating his lease with the landlord, and never sees any of them again. His last link with society destroyed, the monster gives in to rage and a desire for revenge. He burns down the cottage and heads for Geneva and Victor.

At one point along the way the monster saves a beautiful little girl from drowning in a stream, only to be shot by her guardian. It takes weeks for him to heal, and his suffering only feeds his anger and desire for revenge.

After a few weeks, the monster makes it to Geneva. There he encounters a young boy. Thinking the boy would be too young to be horrified by his appearance, and thus could be a companion for him, the monster approaches him. But the boy is terrified, and shouts that his father, a Frankenstein, will punish the monster. The monster becomes enraged at hearing the name Frankenstein, and strangles the boy. The boy dies.

The monster then finds a barn in which to spend the night, but finds a beautiful sleeping girl inside. Enraged that he is forever cut off from the delight of female beauty, the monster places a picture the boy wore and plants it in the girl's pocket.

The chapter ends with the monster's demand that Victor create a female counterpart for him.