Walton's Ambition

A man named Marcus Aurelius once said that, “A man's worth is no greater than his ambitions” this means a person’s integrity can be seen through what they devote their time and energy on indicating what kind of person they are. In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the narrators long for companionship but their ambition causes their own alienation. A narrator who longs for companionship is Robert Walton but his ambition to find magnets in the North Pole isolate him from others. Furthermore, Victor Frankenstein also desires companionship but he is engulfed in finding his Monster and getting revenge. Finally, the Monster likewise craves companionship but his attempts are too ambitious which alienates him from others. The North Pole is the most northern

In the beginning of the novel, Walton is writing letters to his sister Margaret Saville to tell her what he has been doing and asks her to, “Continue for the present to write to me by every opportunity: I may receive your letters on some occasions when I need them most to support my spirits” (Shelley 8). Walton asks for letters but does not receive any throughout the book demonstrating how he is unable to connect with his sister because he would rather go to the North Pole than speak to her in person. Also, the lieutenant appears to be a good friend for Walton but because he is more educated their friendship cannot develop. After Walton has written to his sister the story of his captain he replies to her, “‘What a noble fellow!’ you will exclaim. He is so; but then he is wholly educated: he is as silent as a Turk, and kind of ignorant carelessness attends him…” (7). Walton is an educated man that will not tolerate a friend like his lieutenant who thinks carelessly. This deprives him of making any friends with his crew because they are not as educated therefore causing him to become alienated. Simultaneously, the stranger Victor Frankenstein that was rescued becomes good friends with

He is separated from his father Alphonse Frankenstein, his wife Elizabeth Lavenza and his long-time friend Henry Clerval. Victor Frankenstein’s obsession with trying to kill his Monster lead’s to the death of his father, leaving him an orphan. With the murder of Victor’s wife Elizabeth, his father Alphonse Frankenstein was so traumatized that, “the spring of existence suddenly gave way” (206) and he died in Victor’s hands which caused him to return back into a state of insanity. A Moral and Intellectual theorist would believe every time Victor experiences trauma he enters a state of insanity which then prevents others from interacting with him. This is just like how his father tried to help him but instead he died not truly knowing who his son is. Furthermore, Victor’s relationship with Elizabeth Lanvenza has become romantic but his desire to kill the Monster ends their relationship. Elizabeth wrote a letter to Victor while he was in Ireland for him to go back to Geneva and for his hand in marriage in which he replies with a letter telling her not to worry and he will marry her but he has a, “secret” that will, “chill [her] frame with horror” that he must tell her after their wedding (196). With him not telling her the whole truth about his creation of the Monster, he has become more distant from her physically and mentally creating a lack of trust in their relationship;