Frankenstein (Blog 8)
By: Mary Shelley

Shelley uses a great deal of imagery throughout her entire novel.  She especially uses imagery to describe the setting of each scene.  Shelley is specific with the time of day, season, and current weather of each event.  The imagery is beneficial because it allows readers to clearly picture what the environment of each character is.  "It was on a clear morning, in the latter days of December, that I first saw the cliffs of Britain.  The banks of the Thames presented a new scene; they were flat, but fertile, and almost every town was marked by the resemblance of some story" (Shelley, 114).  This quote is a perfect example of Shelley's great use of imagery.  She fabricates clear pictures throughout her writing, making it seem more realistic to her audience.  Furthermore, the environment of a character often mirrors his or her emotions in that specific scene.  For example, earlier in the novel, it is raining when Victor goes to the murder sight of his younger brother William.  The rain is symbolic of the mourning Victor is experiencing due to the loss of his brother.  It also represents the upset state he is in and how his emotions were complicated.  Overall, Shelley does an exceptional job of using imagery to help her audience.  She doesn't include a ton of pointless descriptions; they are actually essential to the story because they often contain deeper meanings.