In Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, the novel is made up of three stories linked together but ultimately separated. The outer framework of the narrative takes the form of Walton's letters to his sister Margaret. It is through this medium that Victor's story is told, as Walton tells it in Victor's words. Likewise, the story of the monster is told to Walton by Victor, in the monster's own words. These three segments of the narrative are closely linked by several common key themes. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essayA major theme shared by all three stories is isolation, and therefore loneliness. This theme of loneliness is initially conveyed by Walton, and through him it is integrated into the framework of the monster's and Victor's narratives. This is important because it establishes isolation as a tone that then overshadows the entire novel. Walton is a character who suffers from two types of isolation, physical and emotional. The physical isolation is most obvious, as his expedition leaves him stranded in the cold, lonely Arctic desert. George Levine supports this idea by stating that these snowy settings “are the landscape of community isolation.” Indeed, this landscape reflects the solitary tone of Walton's tale, but also serves as a prelude to the isolation experienced by both Frankenstein and his monster. It is also evident that Walton identifies with and finds comfort in this solitary environment, as he says: “I try in vain to be persuaded that the Pole is the seat of frost and desolation; it always presents itself to my imagination as the region of beauty and pleasure. This suggests that Walton is as lonely as the Arctic wasteland and therefore finds comfort in the familiar. In addition to his physical isolation, he also feels emotionally distant from others. Jennifer Richards supports this view by stating that "Walton...feels isolated even though he is surrounded by his crew in the small Commonwealth of his ship." Indeed, even in the desolate Arctic landscape, he always has people around him to keep him company. Despite this, Walton is still alone and distant from them, choosing instead to confide in his sister via a series of letters. It is these letters that serve as the epistolary form of Walton's narrative, and it is this use of epistolary form that helps to further emphasize Walton's status as a solitary character. He recounts the details of his expedition to an absent family member, writing his thoughts on paper rather than sharing them verbally. This highlights how Walton lacks real human contact, even though it is of his own will that he isolates himself from the world in favor of the pursuit of knowledge. The theme of loneliness is echoed in Victor's narration as Walton recounts the story Victor tells him. Like Walton, Victor suffers from physical isolation in his quest for scientific knowledge. While Walton confines himself to a ship bound for the Arctic, Victor confines himself to a laboratory. While Walton finds himself friendless from the start, Victor pushes his friends away in favor of self-imposed isolation. It is clear that Victor thrives in isolated conditions since he states early on that it is his "character to avoid crowds." Victor recounts how the creation of the monster caused him to "forget those friends who were so many miles away and whom he had not seen for so long", suggesting that human companionship comes second to him. scientific experimentation. It is tempting to argue that this theme of self-imposed isolation does not appear in the monster segment of the narrative, because he is desperate for companionship andof acceptance, rather than putting themselves on the margins of society like Walton and Victor. However, the monster's narration contains the recurring theme of isolation, although it is of a different kind than that found in Walton's and Victor's sections. While the isolation conveyed by Victor and Walton is largely self-imposed, the monster is the victim of an externally imposed solitude. Graham Allen supports this by emphasizing "how different such positions of voluntary isolation are from the enforced isolation of the creature." Indeed, the monster is rejected by society due to his monstrous appearance, leading him to yearn for acceptance, and ultimately murderous revenge. He describes himself as “lonely and loathed.” Unlike Victor, who rejects his love Elizabeth, the creature longs for a chance to love while he despairs over the fact that “no Eve has soothed his sorrows or shared his thoughts; he was alone. » The monster is very much a victim of social distancing. Although their isolation is largely voluntary, Victor and Walton's stories also contain, to some extent, the theme of social alienation. Unlike the monster, who is excluded because of his appearance, Walton and Victor feel detached from humanity because of their withdrawn attitude and shared "thirst for knowledge." It is clear that Walton's isolation is not entirely voluntary as he tells his sister Margaret how he "bitterly feels the want of a friend." His curiosity has clearly left him ostracized as he recounts how it “pushes him off the common paths of men, even toward the wild sea and unexplored regions.” Upon meeting Victor, he sees him as a potential mate, which reflects the monster's later desire for a mate. In this sense, another common theme between the stories is friendship, or more precisely the lack of friendship. Victor pushes his friends away and indirectly causes their deaths, while the monster and Walton long for a chance at having a friend to begin with. Another theme that runs through all three stories is the search for knowledge. For both Victor and Walton, the goal of this knowledge is self-realization and recognition. Jen Hill supports this by stating that "Walton and Victor share the radical, selfless individuality that Shelley associates with Victor's quest for scientific knowledge." Indeed, both seem willing to put their quest for knowledge above all else. This is evident for Victor who describes himself as "having been imbued with a fervent desire to penetrate the secrets of nature", and for Walton when he speaks of his "attachment to... a passionate enthusiasm for the dangerous mysteries of ocean ". Walton and Victor, whose search for knowledge relies largely on discovering the secrets of nature, the creature only aims to discover the secrets of itself. The monster's narration is heavy with the theme of the search for knowledge, but it is based on self-understanding. He wants to know why he was created and how he can find his place in society. He desperately asks Victor "Why did you form a monster so hideous that even YOU turned away from me in disgust". In addition to the theme of the search for knowledge, there is also a recurring theme of forbidden knowledge. In the case of the stories of Victor and the monster, this theme of forbidden knowledge takes on a somewhat biblical character since the monster compares himself to Victor's "Adam". The monster seems to reflect the human desire to know our origins. For Walton and Victor, the theme of forbidden knowledge in their stories is based on their compulsion to investigate "the secrets of nature." Victor addresses the controversial issue of playing God, talking about hisinterest in "resurrection of ghosts or devils", and ultimately creates new life. Anne Kostelanetz Mellor supports this idea by asserting that "Victor denies God's unique power to create organic life...Victor Frankenstein blasphemed against the natural order of things." Ultimately, his creation destroys him, showing the consequences of indulging in the forbidden. Likewise, upon learning of Victor's selfish reasons for creating him, the monster is driven to murder. In addition to the theme of forbidden knowledge, there is a recurring theme of consequences when this forbidden knowledge is sought. In Walton's narrative letters to his sister, he expresses a desire to investigate nature, much like Victor before him. Victor's account to Walton is intended to warn Walton against the pursuit of forbidden knowledge. Therefore, both stories contain the theme of forbidden knowledge, with Walton expressing the desire to pursue it and Victor expressing the consequences of doing so. Harold Bloom supports this by stating that "Victor admits that he has suffered serious consequences in his quest for knowledge and wisdom, and expresses the wish that Walton would not meet the same fate." There are other biblical connotations as Victor tells Walton how he "earnestly hopes that the satisfaction of [his] wishes will not be a serpent to bite." This refers to the serpent who tricked curious Eve into eating the apple and disobeying God. All three stories share the theme of communication. Although the stories are each told for a different purpose, all three stories share the common goal of communicating with another character. For Walton, this comes in the form of letters to Margaret, as he recounts to her the events of his expedition. The theme of communication is crucial to Walton because it provides him with an outlet for his thoughts as well as a form of human contact. Meanwhile, Victor's narration involves telling Walton his tragic story in hopes of preventing him from making the same mistakes. He implores Walton "Learn from him how dangerous is the acquisition of knowledge, and how much happier the man who believes that his native city is the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature allows him ". Indeed, Victor's communication takes the form of a warning addressed to a man who shares his inherent "thirst for knowledge". The monster's narrative, for its part, comes in the form of a plea to be understood, since he says: "I am evil because I am unhappy." This then becomes a more sinister warning, as he threatens to "work towards Victor's destruction" unless he creates a companion for him. Essaka Joshua highlights the monster's attempt at communication by saying: "The creature's tale is told to Victor in an attempt to gain sympathy, and a possible companion, from its creator also supports Joshua." that “to some extent, all three stories appeal to the sympathy of readers or listeners; device". Indeed, in addition to the common theme of communication, all three stories also share the theme of communicating their sorrows and misfortunes in an attempt to gain sympathy. The monster attempts to justify his murderous actions by saying to Victor that he "was once benevolent and good; misery made him a demon." Similarly, Victor also attempts to justify his creation of the monster to Walton by attributing his efforts to his "thirst for knowledge." 36 and highlighting the misery he suffered as a result Walton defends his treacherous expedition by seeking sympathy for his loneliness, telling Margaret that he "desires the company of a man who could sympathize with him. ".