What books does the monster read?

In Frankenstein, the monster reads John Milton’s Paradise Lost, learns from a history book Felix uses to teach Safie, and reads Victor Frankenstein’s journal entries about his own creation.

The most important book is Paradise Lost, because it gives the monster a way to understand his relationship to Victor. He sometimes compares himself to Adam, a being made by a creator, but he also sees himself as like Satan because he lacks his creator’s love and companionship. He later tells Victor, “I ought to be thy Adam,” accusing Victor of having failed in his duty as a maker.

The monster also learns about human society from the history lessons Felix gives Safie. As Safie learns the De Laceys’ language, the monster secretly learns alongside her, becoming aware of human nobility and human evil. That education deepens his misery because it helps him understand that he has no family, nation, or community of his own.

Finally, the monster reads Victor’s journal entries, which he accidentally took when he fled Victor’s apartment. These writings describe his creation, and they make him curse Victor for bringing him into the world so ugly and isolated. His reading gives him intelligence and moral awareness, but it also sharpens his sense of abandonment, turning education into another source of pain.