Read the passage. I saw the hideous phantasm of a man stretched out ... show signs of life and stir with an uneasy, half vital motion. Frightful must it be, for supremely frightful would be the effect of any human endeavor to mock the stupendous mechanism of the Creator of the world. His success would terrify the artist; he would rush away from his odious handiwork, horror-stricken. In Mary Shelley's introduction to Frankenstein, which of the following best describes a theme in her idea for a story?

a. Scientific experiments can replace nature.

b. Creativity springs from visions and dreams.

c. Damage is done when humans play God.

d. Reality can easily be exchanged for fantasy.

The correct answer is option letter C (Damage is done when humans play God.). Taken from the novel "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley (1823), the introduction to Frankenstein presents a main theme of her story which is the dangerous knowledge of humans. As Victor Frankenstein is studying in Ingolstadt, he discovers the secret of life and wants to access them. Moreover, he performs beyond accepted human limits. The novel itself narrates the use and abuse of science. Therefore, in her novel, Shelley makes a critique of man's attempt to violate the law of nature by playing God, that is, by trying to create life. The results of Victor's pursuit are not positive, since he created a deformed simulacrum of man that only brings misfortune, sadness, and death. In fact, the idea of the damage created by the dangerous knowledge of humans can be found in the excerpt presented above when it reads "His success would terrify the artist; he would rush away from his odious handiwork, horror-stricken.".