" (Shelley 73) In saying the stranger's flight surprised him, the creature demonstrates he had not yet realized what he was, nor what that made him in relation to other people. The man's frightened response genuinely confused the not-yet-self-aware creature, exemplifying his very basic mental state. However, in retelling his memories of his first days, the monster mentions he "greedily devoured the remnants of the shepherd's breakfast." The word "greedily" implies the significant intellectual development of the creature, seeing as he can reflect back on his actions and deliberate as to whether they were right or wrong. .
The creature's emotional and rational development truly begins in the time he spends living in a hovel outside of the DeLacy family cabin. It is in observing the human behavior of the DeLacys that the creature comes to adapt a set of feelings of his own. For instance, the creature admits that he had originally stolen food from the cottagers, "but when I found that in doing this I inflicted pain on the cottagers, I abstained" (Shelley 78) This is the first time the creature exhibits empathy in any form. He is not only able of comprehending the pain he causes the cottagers, but makes the logical and moral decision to cease the actions which bring them pain. However, aside from sharing in their joys and sorrow, the creature develops something else from his time with the DeLacys as well. By combining his newfound rationality and his discovery of sympathetic relationships, the creature comes to desire familial relationships of his own. Seeing the joy each DeLacy brought one another as they played guitar and read books sparked an ember of envy within the creature. Eventually, the creature's naiveté and burning desire for reciprocated love overpower his reason, as he convinces himself that "once they should become acquainted with my admiration of their virtues, they would compassionate me and overlook my personal deformity.