Frankenstein: Slave

       In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Victor becomes a slave to his work.  This is a common theme with an underlying theme that Victor never asked "should I be doing this"?  Because Victor becomes a slave to his work, the role of creator and master is also flipped.  The creature has control of Victor's life.  Also Victor became so engrossed with his original attempts and creating let his physical and mental health decline.  This was probably a factor in him becoming ill after the monster was originally created.  Victor focuses on whether he can create life or not.  He never thinks about whether he "should" be creating life.  The creature even says, " 'Slave, I before reasoned with you, but you have proved yourself unworthy of my condescension.  Remember that I have power; you believe yourself miserable, but I can make you so wretched that the light of day will be hateful to you.  You are my creator, but I am you master--obey'!"  (Shelley, 122).  The creature has to tell Victor that he has been engrossed in his work and that it is not always the bright side.

Frankenstein: Health

       In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Victor's health is very fragile.  He has very varying times of healthiness and sickness.  One psychological aspect of Victor's illnesses stem from seeing the creature.  When he first creates the creature he becomes sick and when he sees the creature again while creating the female he becomes sick.  Victor has a very fragile psychological side. He is easily distraught and caused to become very sick.  Once he saw the hand marks on Henry Clerval's neck he knew who the killer was and then he became ill once again.  Victor says, " 'The human frame could no longer support the agonies that I endured, and I was carried out of the room in strong convulsions'," (Shelley, 129).  This is Victor admitting his fragile health state.  This theme of mental health is carried throughout the book by Victor becoming sick at very shocking moments.

Frankenstein: Characters/Frame Stories

       In Frankenstein Mary Shelley uses the characterization of some characters to tell the story of others.  The use of Safie's background helps explain why the creature has so much hope in the possibility of the cottagers accepting him and how he became so literate and articulate.  Safie's background frame story also explains why she is at the cottage.  Because Felix saves Safie's father, her father promises Safie to Felix.  This is why Safie eventually comes to the cottage.  Because she cannot speak the language, Felix and his sister and father teach Safie how to speak French and write.  This is why the creature learned to talk.  Also since the family was accepting someone different from themselves, the creature felt hope that they might accept him too, since he is so different.  " 'My days were spent in close attention, that I might more speedily master the language; and I may boast that I improved more rapidly than the Arabian...' " (Shelley, 84).  The monster was describing his learning experiences to Victor in this scene.  He was able to learn because of Safie coming.  Shelley gives the reader this information through Safie and the DeLacey's frame story.

Frankenstein: Parallelism of Victor and Creature's Lives

       In Shelley's novel Frankenstein, Victor and the creature have very parallel lives and emotions.  When Victor became sick the first time in the late fall and winter of the first year of the creature's life, the creature was struggling to find shelter and food.  While the creature is making plans to talk to the cottagers and when he is learning a great deal, Victor is recovering from his illness and getting his life back together.  He tries to go back home but is unable to do so because of the weather.  At the same time the creature is getting ready to talk to the cottagers and then he does and his plan fails.  Both characters experience excitement  and happiness at the same time.  " '...he dashed me to the ground and struck me violently with a stick.  I could have torn him limb from limb, as the lion rends the antelope.  But my heart sunk within me as with bitter sickness, and I refrained'," (Shelley, 97).  This quote is the creature describing what happened when the cottagers started attacking.  The creature is in distress because he was rejected once again.  He feels lonely and upset.  Victor also feels lonely and upset because he cannot see his family.

Frankenstein: Knowledge

       In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, knowledge has a significant role in not only the development of characters but also thematic topics as well.  The creature learns all he knows from books and through observing the cottagers.  Through this type of learning he learns how to read, write, and speak the language.  Although the more the creature knows the more miserable he becomes.  He learns how different he is from humans and the more he then hates his life.  He eventually learns that humanity cannot love him.  " '...but I was wretched, helpless, and alone.  Many Times I considered Satan as the fitter emblem of my condition; for often, like him, when I viewed the bliss of my protectors, the bitter gall of envy rose within me'," (Shelley, 92).  This was said by the creature when he was still observing the cottagers and learning through books.  The more he learned about the cottagers and about humanity, the more he hated himself and wanted to be human.  The knowledge the creature attains makes him very unhappy with his life.

Frankenstein: Imagery

        Mary Shelley actively uses imagery throughout her well-known novel Frankenstein.  She uses imagery to make the reader see exactly what she meant for them to imagine.  Shelley uses imagery to her advantage when describing new areas and scenes and when describing the creation of the monster.  One spot in particular where Shelley uses imagery is when Frankenstein reaches a new area on his journey.  He describes it as this, "The abrupt sides of vast mountains were before me; the icy wall of the glacier overhung me; a few shattered pines were scattered around; and the solemn silence of this glorious presence-chamber of imperial Nature was broken only by the brawling waves or the fall of some vast fragment..." (Shelley, 66).  This vivid imagery paints a distinct picture for the reader.  It helps the reader see the mountains and valleys through Frankenstein's eyes and experience what he did.

Frankenstein: Diction

       Mary Shelley uses a definite type of diction in her novel Frankenstein.  She uses a high level of vocabulary and is subtle when revealing new items of information.  She uses the language of her time, and the time the story was written.  This language is very formal, although her novel is still easily understood.  The monster especially communicates in heightened language.  He does this more so than some of the other characters.  The monster talks as if from another time.  " 'Thus I relieve thee, my creator,' he said, and placed his hated hands before my eyes, which I flung from me with violence; 'this I take from thee a sight which you abhor'," (Shelley, 70).  The creature talks in a more formal language than Frankenstein and seems to have learned this speech from reading Shakespeare or other literary works.  Shelley uses this diction to describe in detail the scenes.