Essay about Frankenstein: Eye and Visual Imagery

Submitted By brenndevon
Words: 608
Pages: 3

Throughout the first five chapters of Frankenstein, the visual imagery changes. As the story progresses, the visual imagery becomes darker. The difference between the imagery when Victor is talking about his childhood, and after he has created the monster is very noticeable. The visual imagery shifts to show the change in victor, and in the mood of the book. Before Victor leaves for Ingolstadt, and before he starts creating the monster, the visual imagery is much brighter, and much happier. You see examples of this on page 22 when Victor is talking about his little sister. He says things like “Her hair was the brightest living gold, and, despite the poverty of her clothing, seemed to set a crown of distinction on her head” and “Her brow was clear and ample, her blue eyes cloudless, and her lips and the molding of her face so expressive of sensibility and sweetness, that none could behold her without looking on her as of a distinct species, a being heaven-sent, and bearing a celestial stamp in all her features”. The visual imagery that is used before victor creates the monster is much lighter to show the happiness and innocence he used to have. Once Victor begins trying to create the monster, the imagery begins to become darker. While he is creating the monster, Victor becomes ill, he eats and sleeps very little, and he becomes so engrossed in his work that he doesn’t even notice what is happening in the world around him. “In a solitary chamber, or rather cell, at the top of the house, and separated from all the other apartments by a gallery and staircase, I kept my workshop of filthy creation: my eyeballs were starting from their sockets in attending to the details of my employment”(page 41). Another example of this is on pages 40-41 when Victor says “Life and death appeared to me ideal bounds, which I should first break through, and pour a torrent of light into our dark world” and on page 42 when he says “Winter, spring, and summer passed away during my labors; but I did not watch the blossom or the expanding leaves- sights which before always yielded me supreme delight- so deeply was I engrossed in my occupation”. As the story progresses, the imagery begins to become darker to show how Victors pursuit of knowledge is dangerous. The visual imagery becomes darkest after Victor creates