Close Reading Post #2 — Frankenstein

Since the beginning of the book, I took notice of the many instances in which letters served an outstanding purpose throughout the story. These letters served to not only tell parts of the story itself, but to show the reader the innermost thoughts of the writers of these, allowing for us to better understand their emotions and role within the story. These letters, or texts, that we see overflowing throughout the story are an important aspect to the manner, or structure, in which the author chose to convey the tale of Frankenstein. These letters also help us to better understand the characters of the story. The letters are Mary Shelley’s hugest literary device, or technique, as the story of Frankenstein is told.
Language is huge, serving as the very foundation for these written texts, as language is the most direct tool for communication. This is because obviously, without language, letters and texts could not be written. Furthermore, language is a large part of the development of the monster and in the way it was able to communicate, as well. I feel that Shelley used the letters as a way of “telling a tale within a tale”, embedding large parts of Frankenstein within them.
The letters serve to parallel some of the most important concepts of the book, such as the dangers of having a thirst or obsession for knowledge and the consequences of it. I feel that Shelley’s choice of using letters has a unique and powerful impact on the way the story was structured and told.