by Nick Muccio

Created on: March 25, 2010

            Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is narrated through stories told by others with the lead narration being told through letters and personal accounts. The novel is a coming of age novel that describes the life of Victor Frankenstein as a child, through becoming a grown man. The novel is known to be a bildungsroman, as the story begins with Victor as a child and shows how he develops into a man. Most of the novel is narrated by Victor Frankenstein. Walton also narrates through epistolary views, which involve letters and journals to his sister about Frankenstein and the monster. The monster also narrates throughout the novel.  He explains his life experience and wrongful actions through stories. It is through these three narrations that we are able to get different perspectives on the same story.

            The novel begins with a series of letters back and forth between Walton and his sister. Walton is a seaman in search for a northern passage to the pacific. Walton is just like Victor Frankenstein as he is an explorer and knowledgeable, and a relationship between the two develops as the story unfolds. The story begins with letters and ends with letters. This acts as a frame around the main narrations of the novel by Victor Frankenstein and the monster.

            Through a series of letters, Walton interacts with his sister explaining his voyage. The first letter Walton writes explains his hopes and goals for his glorious mission. Walton discusses his dream about discovering a northern passage to the Pacific. This letter is symbolic of hope and devotion. Hope and devotion are seen throughout Victor Frankenstein's life. Hope is the desire to accomplish something, in Walton's view the discovery of a northern passage, for Victor the creation of a human.

            The second letter describes Walton's loneliness. Walton is friendless and isolated. He is too knowledgeable to interact with his shipmates, but is lacking love and is in need to find a soul to share his dreams with. This is just like Victor, who becomes isolated and devoted only to his creation. Victor stresses himself to accomplish his goal of the monster. He shelters himself from the outside world including his friends and family. Victor's love life is nothing but a long

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