Frankenstein 1

Frankenstein
Mary Shelley

From the very beginning of the novel, the themes of alienation and solitude are evident.  Robert Walton decided to leave his family behind and pursue his dreams of exploring the North Pole, and he also gave up all stability.  On the journey, Walton did not make any new friends (except for Frankenstein) and felt alienated from the crew members.  Similarly, Victor Frankenstein abandoned his family in order to further his education and experiments.  However, both men left behind their sisters, for whom they obviously loved very dearly.  Walton wrote various letters, one addressed to "my dear sister" (Shelley, page 7), to his sister back in England , while Frankenstein described his as "my more than sister" (Shelley, page 18).  It was extremely difficult for both men to leave their families, but they could not carry out their goals any other way.  Walton feels alienated from his crew members until he meets Frankenstein and begins a new friendship.  The alienation/solitude is part of the reason they get along so well from the beginning because they share that common affliction.  After a little while on the ship, Frankenstein starts to tell his story to Walton because he notices a common thirst for knowledge and exploration and wants to warn him of such dangerous passions.