Although Victor says that his parents provided nothing but a loving atmosphere for him and that he and Elizabeth enjoyed only "harmony" in their relationship, he admits that he personally has a flaw in his temperament:

My temper was sometimes violent, and my passions vehement; but by some law in my temperature they were turned not towards childish pursuits but to an eager desire to learn, and not to learn all things indiscriminately. (Chapter 2)

Victor seeks a depth of knowledge even from childhood. This passion to understand the laws of nature which govern the world around him are sometimes consuming, leading him to become agitated in his quests. He longs to understand the "physical secrets" of the world, and it is this part of his character which drives him to contemplate the possibility of creating a human(like) figure. It likely also drives his reaction to the creature he constructs, leading him to respond in this "violent" temper to the creature's various requests.

With his family, Victor is patient. In scientific quests and learning, he is so passionate that his personality leans toward violence in spirited quests for understanding.