She continued with her foster parents, and bloomed in their rude abode, fairer than a garden rose among dark-leaved brambles" (Shelley 31). The young girl is then adopted by the Frankensteins and given the name Elizabeth. Elizabeth's childhood bears much resemblance to that of Shelley's childhood. Both children had mothers who died during childbirth and were later taken into the care of more loving families. Shelley's father later remarried Mary Jane Clairmont, a jealous woman who compromised Shelley's happiness and education (Means 2). Shelley was later sent to live with the Baxter family; her experience here described ".Mary experienced a happiness she had rarely known. She grew fond of Baxter, and a friendship soon developed between Mary and his two daughters, Christina and Isabel" (Ty). In both Shelley's life and her novel Frankenstein, she and Elizabeth are rescued from unhappy homes and welcomed by more capable families.
In the novel Frankenstein, the isolation experienced by Victor Frankenstein is also a theme of Shelley's life. Frankenstein enjoys spending time alone in pursuit of his unconventional interests. The protagonist spends many hours in nature, and after the death of his mother is sent away to the University of Ingolstadt (Shelley 40). In Ingolstadt, Frankenstein is entranced by his work and obsession with creating life so much so that he does not venture out of his home or meet with colleagues. Throughout the novel, Frankenstein often chooses to spend time alone rather spending time with friends and family. While isolated, Frankenstein usually attempts to console himself over some experienced stress or to further pursue his intellectual interests, which in the novel lead to more traveling. Both Frankenstein and Shelley endure isolation whether by choice or force. Shelley is forced into isolation because of her romantic ventures and political beliefs. Her desire to live freely and maintain an open marriage with her husband, Percy Shelley leads to her isolation from society (Christ et al.
