Frankenstein Passage Analysis

This close reading is about a passage derived from the Letters in the beginning of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. This extract was chosen because it acts as a good preface to what the remaining novel will be about. It serves as an introductory passage that builds suspense and interest; marking the first instance that the book begins to hint at the plot’s main intentions. The overall mood it conveys is one of intrigue. It skirts on the edges of the central conflict of the novel, leaving the reader absorbed and eager to discover what will occur next. The language used to express the characters’ endeavors in this passage is expertly crafted and its precise word usage accurately portrays the novel’s overall intent. An image in this passage reminds me of one earlier mentioned in the letters. Walton had written, “…but besides this there is a love for the marvelous, a belief in the marvelous… which hurries me out of the common pathways of
Although still obscure, his past is clearer when he voices, “…I have suffered great and unparalleled misfortunes”. Nevertheless, little is known about the stranger until he declares, “I wait but for one event, and then I shall repose in peace.” The denotative meaning of the word repose is rest/sleep, which suggests the stranger will be able to rest easier once he completes a specific deed. The connotative definition of repose, however, could be death, meaning once he completes what he has set out to do, he can finally die in peace. It is clear the stranger does not mean to try to change what has already been done, but instead is on a mission to make right his past mistakes. He recognizes in Walton the same passionate zeal that resulted in his own downfall and hopes his tale will offer Walton guidance; stating, “I imagine you may deduce an apt moral from my tale, one that may direct you…”