The Analysis of the Thoughts of Victor Frankenstein

This post is a fancy revision of Frankenstein Chapters 21-23 Analysis

When analyzing the classic novel Frankenstein in search of its theme I find much of it is shown in chapters 21 through 23. This theme is helped along through a series of anagnorisis, moments in a work where a character makes a critical discovery, and catastrophes, actions at the end of a work that initiate the falling action. These two things allow Frankenstein to realize that his selfish attitude is the cause of his misery.

With each anagnorisis Victor understands more clearly an aspect of his own character. Overall victor is slowly realizing that he is the cause of the deaths of his family and friends and truly the cause of his own misery. In chapter 23 he admits to himself that his "only remaining friends were not safe from the malignity of the find." This shows that Victor has lost hope for the well being of his friend and is truly giving up. The deaths of everyone he once loved caused by a monster he created is now sinking in. He understands that his own actions are causing his life to spiral out of control demonstrating a major theme that there is no hope and life will never be as peaceful as it once was.

This theme is also shown to the audience through every individual catastrophe. When Victor "saw that lifeless form of Henry Clerval stretched before" him, a major piece of the plot that the audience already suspected was shown. This moment made it click in Victor's mind that the monster was not planning to harm him rather the monster was going to harm all of his friends. This moment was the full defeat of Victors dwindling spirit. Rather then warn his remaining family members of their imminent doom his pride kept him quiet. With this near last major catastrophe the plot is able to slowly come to a close in the end emphasizing the theme that there is no going back. At that point the only thing Victor can do is accept the worst that is about to come.

This grand theme of the lack of hope causing a downward slope with no return can be applied to the human condition as a whole. Individually speaking people make mistakes all the time, however, it is the reoccurring errors people make with no plan of fixing them that start the slippery slope. A wrong decision followed by another sprinkled with lies in between can eventually dig a hole so deep it is impossible to recover. While this theme was shown through the fictional tale of Victor Frankenstein is can easily be applied to every day life. The main difference being is that there are no big ugly mad scientist created monsters in the 21st century.