The nature of the narrative

The structure thus raises a number of issues and questions about the nature of the narrative we are reading.

Issues arising from the narrative

• The two main narratives are spoken and are directed at a single listener whose reaction the speaker might be able to anticipate and certainly wishes to influence
• Captain Walton may be presenting Frankenstein in a manner that corresponds to his own ideas about science and exploration and that reflects his admiration for his visitor
• The overall written narrative is addressed to a single reader, Captain Walton's sister Mrs Saville, BUT:
  • she is outside the frame of the story
  • her opinion about what she reads is unknown to the reader
  • her means of publishing her brother's letters is unknown.

Questions about the narrative

• How does Frankenstein represent himself to Captain Walton? What images of his scientific endeavours and the monster's actions does he emphasise?
• How does reading the creature's narrative after hearing the first part of Victor's story affect the reader's view of events?
• How are the reader's sympathies likely to be affected when Frankenstein resumes his own narrative?
• What similarities and differences among the three main narrators emerge as a result of reading these narratives side by side? More on the three narrators?

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