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Frankenstein Novel Analysis Essay

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Myrjun Angeles Ms. Ammendolia EWC4UI 10/13/17 Frankenstein Novel Analysis Frankenstein is partly an epistolary novel. In what way do the letters at the beginning of the text help frame the story that follows? The series of letters at the beginning of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley are from Robert Walton, and were sent to his sister, Margaret Saville. In each letter, Walton tells his sister of updates while he’s on one of many sea trips and to coincide with that, readers of the novel get a glimpse of the personal turmoil he is facing. On his trip, Walton meets a stranger who he thinks can be the one to help aid in his feeling of loneliness and isolation. So not only does finding out more about the stranger make him a friend of Walton’s, but …show more content…

So that’s why when he encountered the stranger, he immediately found a sense of comfort in confiding in him because he finally satisfied his need for companionship. In Frankenstein’s situation, he too was seeking a friend because he shared Walton’s desire for companionship. The parallel storylines between a human and a monster make it evident that the two beings, though physically different, may not be as contrasting as initially thought. Frankenstein is a story within a story. What effect does this technique have upon the narrative? The story within a story technique can also be called frame story/narrative. In Frankenstein, this technique helps introduce different characters as well as their perspectives. Through the letters written by Robert Walton to Margaret Saville, readers learn about Victor Frankenstein and his creation’s story. If one thinks about it, this novel actually has many layers, and can be referred to as a story within a story that’s within another story. The reason being is in Walton’s letters, we learn of Victor Frankenstein and his adversity when he created the monster, which is the last narrative the readers experience. To restate, this technique brings together the individual stories of Walton, Victor and Frankenstein in many ways that overall become clearer in the initial letters Mary Shelley uses in the beginning of the novel. Explain the purposes of each of the following characters in the story. Why does Shelley need them? How are they

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