Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Frame Story

"but you are mistaken, my friend, if thus you will allow me to name you; nothing can alter my destiny; listen to my history, and you will perceive how irrevocably it is determined" (13).

Frankenstein is unique because it is set up as a frame story, so there are stories within the initial story. Shelley's purpose in this frame story is to highlight the similarities between Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein. The fact that Victor is telling his story as a warning to Robert may display Victor's story as a warning to all of those who are obsessed with seeking knowledge concerning the unknown. Victor aims to show the horrors of taking new advances in scientific discoveries. (Brave New World?) Upon discovering that Robert was planning to journey to the North Pole, Victor felt compelled to tell him his tale so that he could possibly change his mind. The story then shifts into Victor's tale about his creation of the monster.
It also comes to a point where the narration shift once again- this time to the monster's point of view. The monster tells his story to Victor almost like how Victor is telling his story to Robert. The monster is telling Victor that he should not make so many assumptions about what he doesn't actually know. Victor is warning Robert against a thirst for knowledge; similarly the monster is attempting to give his creator another chance to do the right thing and alter his view toward his creation.

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