Mary Shelley uses frame story in Frankenstein in order to help the reader interact with each character through a different perspective. Literature works that are mainly built around the story device allow readers to foreshadow upcoming events while providing a brief transition into the next story. Due to that structure and literary device, Shelley allows the reader to thoroughly understand the stories.
There are three narrators in Shelley’s novel: Walton, Victor, and the Monster. The novel begins with Walton’s letters to his sister in which he explains who Victor is. In the next part, the author switches narration to Victor. Victor tells his story to Walton because he recognizes that Walton has the same forbidden knowledge and he wants to prevent Walton from making the same mistake. Victor reminds readers that Walton is listening to the story: “I see by your eagerness and the wonder and hope which your eyes express, my friend, that you expect to be informed of the secret …show more content…
The reader may not completely believe the story told by a particular individual. However, would the reader believe in the monster’s story about himself or rather believe in what Victor says about the monster, that he's a heartless, cruel, ugly monster? “How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavoured to form? (...) but these luxuriances only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same colour as the dun-white sockets in which they were set, his shrivelled complexion and straight black lips.”(Shelley, 66). The author tries to identify the reader with Victor and make them ‘scientists’ that have to piece together all the information in order to discover the
There are three narrators in Shelley’s novel: Walton, Victor, and the Monster. The novel begins with Walton’s letters to his sister in which he explains who Victor is. In the next part, the author switches narration to Victor. Victor tells his story to Walton because he recognizes that Walton has the same forbidden knowledge and he wants to prevent Walton from making the same mistake. Victor reminds readers that Walton is listening to the story: “I see by your eagerness and the wonder and hope which your eyes express, my friend, that you expect to be informed of the secret …show more content…
The reader may not completely believe the story told by a particular individual. However, would the reader believe in the monster’s story about himself or rather believe in what Victor says about the monster, that he's a heartless, cruel, ugly monster? “How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavoured to form? (...) but these luxuriances only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same colour as the dun-white sockets in which they were set, his shrivelled complexion and straight black lips.”(Shelley, 66). The author tries to identify the reader with Victor and make them ‘scientists’ that have to piece together all the information in order to discover the