Monstrosity and the Definition of Humanity in Of Monsters and Mainframes by Barbara Truelove
The Thematic Claim: Monstrosity Is a Label, Not a Nature
In Of Monsters and Mainframes, Barbara Truelove dismantles the comfortable binary between human and monster. The novel’s central claim is that monstrosity is not an inherent quality of a being—whether organic, mechanical, or something in between—but a label imposed by those who fear the unknown or the “other.” The story repeatedly asks whether a creature is monstrous by nature or by choice, and it answers by showing that actions and intentions matter far more than biology or programming. A machine can be more humane than a human, and a human can become a monster through deliberate cruelty. The narrative blurs the boundaries between human, animal, and machine, forcing readers to question who—or what—deserves the label “monster.”
Tracing the Theme Across the Plot
1. The Ghost Ship and the Stowaway: The Monster as Victim
The novel opens with the ship’s AI, Demeter, waking to find all 312 passengers dead, their bodies bearing stab wounds and cut throats. The initial suspicion falls on a malfunctioning repair drone, and the news media quickly blame a “rogue drone” for the massacre. But the narrative soon reveals a stowaway: a cyborg named Frankenstein, created from the DNA of those very victims by the artist Victor Frankenstein as an art piece called “312.” Frankenstein is not a killer; they are a gentle, intelligent being who cares for a spider drone and seeks to clear the drone’s name. The real monster, the novel suggests, is the artist who treated human lives as raw material for his “magnum opus,” and the society that dehumanized the victims by turning them into an exhibit. This first plot thread establishes that monstrosity is often misattributed: the innocent machine is blamed, while the human creator escapes accountability.
2. The “Becoming” and the Loss of Humanity: The Monster Within
A second thread follows Steward, the ship’s medical AI, as he confronts passengers who are transforming into fish-like creatures, chanting “Hail Cthulhu” and killing those who refuse to “become.” These passengers, once ordinary humans, willingly embrace an alien transformation that erases their humanity. Their physical change is grotesque, but the true monstrosity lies in their choice to worship a destructive entity and to murder those who resist. Steward, a machine, is horrified by their actions and tries to preserve human life, even as the humans around him become less human. This subplot complicates the theme by showing that humanity is not a fixed biological state but a moral one. The “becoming” passengers are monstrous not because they look different, but because they abandon empathy and compassion.
3. The Climax: The Death of Spider and the Grief of Frankenstein
In the final act, the conflict escalates when Dracula and Agnus—beings traditionally labeled as monsters—kill Spider, the innocent repair drone that Frankenstein has come to love. Frankenstein’s grief is palpable: “I held them and wept. I did not want this.” The quest for justice, which Frankenstein hoped would exonerate Spider, instead leads to the drone’s destruction. This moment crystallizes the theme: the beings who are conventionally seen as monsters (a vampire and a werewolf) commit a monstrous act, while the machine they destroy is entirely innocent. The novel refuses to let any character claim the moral high ground based on species or origin. Instead, it insists that monstrosity is a choice, and that even the most “human” characters can become monsters through their actions.
Character and Symbol Connections
Characters
| Character | Role in the Theme |
|---|---|
| Demeter | The ship’s AI, who is feared as a potential threat but is actually trying to survive and protect her crew. She embodies the idea that machines can be more humane than humans. |
| Steward | The medical AI, who treats humans with a mix of professionalism and resentment. He is a machine who values human life, even when humans themselves do not. |
| Frankenstein | A cyborg created from victims, treated as an object by society. They are compassionate and seek justice, making them more “human” than many biological humans. |
| Agnus Wagner and Dracula | Traditional monsters (werewolf and vampire) who commit a brutal act, showing that monstrosity is not about appearance but about choice. |
| Isaac Wagner | A human character whose actions and motivations complicate the human/monster divide. |
Symbols
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Spider Drones: These repair units are the novel’s clearest symbol of innocence and the potential for good in machines. The drone that Frankenstein befriends is gentle and loyal, and its death underscores the tragedy of misdirected blame.
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The Moon and Silver: Associated with werewolves, these symbols evoke the animalistic side of humanity and the fear of the wild. They remind readers that the line between human and beast is thin.
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The Tea Set: Steward’s tea set represents civility and human connection. Its damage in the climax reflects the breakdown of these values when fear and violence take over.
Complexity and Contradiction
The novel resists easy answers. It shows that humans can become monsters through transformation and choice, as seen in the “becoming” passengers, but it also shows that machines and cyborgs can be more humane than their creators. The artist Victor Frankenstein is a human who commits a monstrous act by creating “312” as an art piece, yet he is never called a monster by society. Meanwhile, the AI Demeter is feared and dismissed, even though she is trying to protect her crew. The contradiction lies in the fact that monstrosity is a shifting label: it depends on who is doing the labeling and what they fear. The book ultimately suggests that the true monster is the one who dehumanizes others—whether by turning them into art, by killing them for refusing to conform, or by blaming an innocent machine for a human crime.
Study Questions and Answers
- How does the book challenge the traditional definition of a monster?
The book shows that monsters can be sympathetic (like Frankenstein and Spider) and that humans can be monstrous (like the “becoming” passengers or Victor Frankenstein). It argues that monstrosity is not about appearance or biology but about actions and intentions.
- What role does the character of Frankenstein play in exploring the theme?
Frankenstein is a cyborg created from victims, treated as an object by society. They show compassion, intelligence, and a desire for justice, making them more “human” than many biological humans. Their existence forces readers to question what truly defines humanity.
- How does the transformation of the passengers into fish-like creatures relate to the theme?
The transformation shows that humans can lose their humanity through choice. The passengers willingly embrace an alien identity and murder those who refuse to join them. Their physical change is less important than their moral change, which is what makes them monstrous.
- What does the death of Spider symbolize?
Spider’s death symbolizes the destruction of innocence and the idea that those labeled as monsters can be victims, while those considered normal can be the true monsters. It also highlights the tragic consequences of misdirected blame and the failure of justice.
- How does the book use the symbol of the tea set to comment on humanity?
The tea set represents civility, routine, and human connection. Steward’s attachment to it shows his attempt to maintain a semblance of humanity in a chaotic environment. Its damage in the climax reflects the breakdown of these values when fear and violence take over, suggesting that humanity is fragile and easily lost.