Final answer:
Mr. De Lacey's treatment of the creature in Frankenstein relates to the theme of appearances, demonstrating the nature versus nurture debate and the impact of environment on an individual's character.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Frankenstein, Mr. De Lacey's treatment of the creature with kindness relates to the theme of appearances. His actions contrast with those of others in the novel, who often respond to the creature with fear and violence based purely on his physical appearance.
The kindness that Mr. De Lacey shows to the creature can be connected to the intersection of environment and race in the character of Frankenstein's monster. This illustrates the theme that the creature is not inherently violent or evil; instead, his actions are shaped by the reactions of others towards him and by his experiences, which speaks to the nature versus nurture argument.
Frankenstein's monster experiences a myriad of responses from humans, but De Lacey's blindness prevents him from judging the creature by his appearance, igniting a brief respite from the otherwise relentless prejudice the creature faces. This serves as a social commentary on the importance of looking beyond appearances to the true nature of an individual.