Novelistic Sympathy
Maria Shelley’s Frankenstein is one of the unique novels of the romantic period. Even though it is a romantic fiction type of art, the book’s narration makes it one of the most unique during the time. The text is made up of three-strand narration. Unlike novels that follow chronological order type of plot, where events are narrated to the reader as they happen, “Frankenstein” exploits an embedded narrative kind of style. The three main characters in the text narrate their ordeals through an epistle narration and a framing narration. The epistle narration is expediated through Walton’s letter to his sister. The framed narration occurs when two characters Victor and the monster, share their stories with the audience. Below is an analysis of what the narrator seeks to achieve with the unique three-strand narrative format.
Why did she choose this means of narration?
Unlike the other third-person narrative novels, first-person narration used in a book creates different characters who present their unique experiences to the audience. Creating an outstanding experience from the character’s narration makes the audience sympathize with each character. The collected sympathy from the audience makes it difficult for the audiences to condemn a character’s decision. As the author, Shelley used this unique type of narration to achieve equal sympathy for her characters. Shelley is interested in promoting the theme of appearance judgment (Friedman 34). As an author, she is convinced that using a three-point character narration would help bring out the theme of looking past the outward appearance as a means of unearthing what lies beneath. As explained above, Shelley’s intention as a romantic writer is to evoke the feelings of the audience that read her texts. Unlike other romantic writers who use words and form to appeal to the audience’s emotions, Shelley advances her style to use narration.
What effect does she create by choosing this means of narration showing various characters’ points of view, Victor and the Monster?
As mentioned in the analysis earlier, the intended effect is to appeal to the audience’s emotions. Each narrative by the characters creates some impact on the readers (Sılığ 44). First, Victor’s narrative is a persuasion to Walton. Victor persuades Walton to end his journey and destroy the monster. Victor’s narration is a cautionary tale to the audience. As a cautionary tale appeals to the audience not to commit the mistake of creating a monster.
Further proof of the effect of appealing to the audience’s emotions is realized through the monster’s narration. The monster’s narration appeals to his creator Victor. As he speaks to Victor, he gains the sympathy of the audience. The beast tries to convince Victor, who he sees as his parent, to create a mate for him. The lonely feeling displayed by the monster makes the audience sympathize with his situation (Mary 16). However, it is difficult to sympathize with the monster because of some of the terrible things he has confessed.
Victor and the audience share one unique thing, as narrated by Victor, that when Victor meets the monster, he expects a course, barbaric, violent, and inhuman being that likes to kill (Sılığ 44). However, to the surprise of both the audience and Victor, the monster is intelligent and sensitive. This unique character presentation can only be realized through the unique type of narration used in the novel. As mentioned in the opening paragraph of this discussion, the book demystifies the theme, “Judgment by Appearance, “through its unique narrative style. The demystification occurs through an audience appeal of emotion, a technique common with romantic fictional writers.
In conclusion, Mary Shelley is a talented writer who uses her unique three-strand narration to achieve novelistic sympathy. The discussion above provides sufficient proof for novelistic sympathy, achieved through the theme of “Judgement by Appearance.”