Creatures Features
This character creates the creature and later regrets what he has done.
Victor Frankenstein
The novel begins and ends with this character’s letters to his sister.
Robert Walton
Storms, lightning, mountains, and glaciers are all examples of this major motif in the novel.
Nature
Victor’s story warns about the danger of pursuing knowledge without this.
Responsibility
The subtitle of the novel is The Modern this mythological figure.
Prometheus
This character is accused of murdering William Frankenstein, even though she is innocent.
Justine Moritz
Shelley’s use of letters and stories within stories creates this type of structure.
Frame narrative / Nested Narrative
Light often symbolizes this, especially in connection with Victor’s scientific goals.
knowledge or discovery
The creature’s suffering shows the importance of this basic human need.
companionship, acceptance, love
The creature reads this famous biblical epic and compares himself to Adam and Satan.
Paradise Lost
Victor’s decision not to reveal the truth about William’s murder shows this flaw in his character.
cowardice, selfishness, or refusal to take responsibility
Walton’s ambition mirrors Victor’s, making Walton this type of character.
a foil
The Arctic setting at the beginning and end of the novel emphasizes this theme.
isolation
The creature’s transformation from gentle to violent develops this theme.
nature vs. nurture
The Prometheus allusion connects Victor to a figure who is punished for giving this to humanity.
fire / knowledge
Victor’s misreading of the creature’s wedding-night threat shows that Victor often thinks in this way
self-centeredly / egotistically
Because Walton, Victor, and the creature all tell parts of the story, readers must question this.
reliability / perspective / subjective truth
The sublime landscapes often make Victor’s problems seem small compared to this.
power/ vastness of nature
Shelley criticizes society by showing that people judge the creature mainly because of this.
his appearance
The creature’s comparison to Adam emphasizes his desire for this from his creator.
care, guidance, companionship, belonging
By the end of the novel, Victor and the creature have become similar because both are consumed by this.
revenge, isolation, and obsession
Walton’s decision to turn back at the end matters because it shows that Victor’s story has served this purpose.
warning / cautionary tale about ambition
Shelley complicates the symbol of light by showing that the pursuit of knowledge can also lead to this.
danger, destruction, or suffering?
The novel suggests that isolation does not only cause sadness; it can also damage this.
morality, identity, or judgment
The creature’s comparison to Satan emphasizes how rejection transforms him into this.
outcast, rebel, or figure of revenge