Perspective in "Frankenstein"

We are learning to understand how techniques (foil, frame narrative, and the epistolary form​ influence the perspectives of the narrators in "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein"

Some text here about the topic of discussion

​Technique: Frame Narrative

• A frame narrative is a story within a story

• The form echoes the search or quest for something deep, dark, and secret at the heart of the narrative.

• The form resembles the psychoanalytic (psychological) process of uncovering the unconscious behind various levels of narratives.

• The narrator of the story becomes an actual character with shortcomings, limitations, prejudices, and motives.

​What does a frame narrative look like?

​The 3 Perspectives

• Walton’s perspective is told when  meets Victor wandering in the Arctic and thinks that he is insane.

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• Victor’s perspective (Chapters 1-10, 17-23)

• The creature's perspective (Chapters 11-16)

  • Shelley paints the creature as a sensitive individual who has been treated ihumanely by his creator. 

• Everyone's perspective is heard at the very end (Chapter 24)

Subject | Subject

• ​Walton's perspective is heard first through a series of 4 letters that he writes to his sister, Margaret Saville

• The date of the letters is obscure (17___)​

• Walton is an ambitious explorer who is curious about the unknown and unexplored myseteries of the Arctic ocean.​

• He is the FOIL (a contrast) to Victor

A character who contrasts with another character in order to better highlight or differentiate certain qualities of the protagonist.

​Definition

• The term refers to the works of fiction that are written in the form of letters or other documents.

• "Epistolary" is simply the adjective form of the noun epistle, from the Greek for letter.

​Definition