How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavored to form? His limbs were in proportion, and I had selected his features as beautiful. Beautiful! — Great God! His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was of lustrous black, and flowing; his teeth of a pearly whiteness; but these luxuriances only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same colour as the dun white sockets in which they were set, his shrivelled complexion, and straight black lips. (35)
Observation: The passage is a first person narration from Victor Frankenstein describing a past event.
Interpretation: While this passage is mostly a physical description of the creature that Frankenstein created, the first person narration helps create an element of value judgement. The first-person narration limits the introduction to solely Frankenstein’s point of view. The focus is entirely upon Frankenstein’s feelings and opinions surrounding the “birth” of his creature. The creature’s experience of birth is forgotten. This first person narration gives the creator even more power over the creation.
Observation: The final sentence is a lengthy description that is bound together by the use of commas and semicolons.
Interpretation: The use of semicolons draws many separate features together into one coherent sentence. Even though the passage recounts Frankenstein’s feelings in retrospect, the semicolons give the description a feel of immediateness. As the different clauses run together in one sentence, they mirror his thoughts running together. The continuous flow of thought gives the appearance of an immediate reaction that is similar to stream of consciousness. This sentence structure masks the fact that this description is being given in the past tense.
Observation: In Frankenstein’s description, there is an emphasis on color.
Interpretation: The colors of different physical features of the creature’s body are very objective descriptive features. The fact that his teeth are white is not something that can be debated. The fact that his skin is described as yellow seems to give the description an objective and scientific quality. The very basic nature of color helps give this passage an authoritative tone. This creates the illusion that this description is purely objective and void of emotion. However the latent value judgement is made clear by the adverbs that modify the color adjectives. His teeth are not just white, but pearly white; his eye sockets are dun white; his lips are straight black. Thus these adjectives describing color help craft an accurate physical description with an underlying value judgement of disgust.
Observation: Frankenstein uses the verbs “selected” and “endeavored to form”.
Interpretation: From the very beginning of this passage, it is clear that Frankenstein is the creator. This “catastrophe” is all of his making. These verbs emphasize Frankenstein’s agency. The ugly features that are so repulsive to him are not the result of an accident, but rather a conscious effort of Frankenstein. The fact that he emphasizes his role as the creator highlights the core of his anguish. As an intentional creator he is implicated in all of his creation’s crimes.
Heroine In Training 