Shelley presents the Creature in Frankenstein as both a "fiend of unparalleled barbarity" and a figure that modern readers may sympathize with. The Creature's narrative shows him initially seeking companionship from humans, but being rejected due to his monstrous appearance, which causes him to turn vengeful and malevolent. A modern reader may see the Creature's violent acts as stemming from the rejection and mistreatment by humans, sympathizing with him as a victim of circumstance rather than an inherently evil being.