Response Journal: similarities/ differences between Victor and Walton‎ (Frankenstein/Mary Shelly)

Essay by arabian_gurlHigh School, 11th gradeA, December 2004

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Robert Walton a romantic arctic explorer who learns and records Victor's ‎story in letters to his sister in England Margaret Saville. Victor Frankenstein the ‎genius mind behind creating the monster that results in his life going downhill ‎until he is found by Walton on an ice burg in the North pole between life and ‎death. Finding that his savior is also running after an obsession, Victor lying on his ‎death bed recounts his wretched life to his rescuer hoping that he would learn from ‎his mistakes. ‎

There are many similarities between these two unique and determined ‎characters. Both men have an obsession they are determined to accomplish no ‎matter what the consequences are. Frankenstein was obsessed with creating the ‎human life and confiscating death, while Robert Walton was obsessed with finding ‎a Northwest Passage through the Arctic Ocean from Russia to the Pacific Ocean. ‎They are both seeking to do something that has not been done before.

They took ‎risks and were willing to sacrifice their families and friends even themselves for ‎the sake of their fascination. The two men come from caring loving families that ‎are worried about them. Also both of them had very good intentions; Walton ‎wanted to discover a passage that can lead to a new land where people can live, ‎and Victor affected by his mother's death wanted a cure for death. The two ‎characters at the end were lonely, Walton desired a friend to share his happiness ‎during his journey, and Frankenstein's creation destroyed all of his family draining ‎all the happiness, love and feelings out of his heath and leaving him alone. ‎

Just like similarities, there are also many differences. Victor Frankenstein ‎accomplishes his obsession and experiences its consequences unlike Robert who ‎learns from Victors mistakes and abandons his fascination. Victor...