Frankenstein
By: Mary Shelley
The central theme or tale of the complex frame story in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, is that of discovery. For, in this passage, not only is the reader first introduced to Victor Frankenstein's discovery of overcoming life, but also his discovery of the impact of such actions. "I paused, examining and analyzing all the minutiae of causation, as exemplified in the change from life to death, and death to life, until from the midst of this darkness a sudden light broke in upon me...(Page 31)."
In the phrase above, the two discoveries of Victor Frankenstein are presented through the analogy of the sudden light in darkness. This represents not only the realization of how to make the creation Frankenstein later forms, but also the realization that this creation was what led Frankenstein to the misery of his destiny. By finally realizing how to put the creation together and give it life, Frankenstein experiences an "Aha" moment in which the "light-bulb" suddenly turns on and the "pieces fall into place." Frankenstein suddenly finds light and clarity along the path of knowledge which had previously been dark and impossible to discern. Yet, through this realization, he experienced further clarity of the effect of "causation" and the interconnected aspect of life and death. In his quest to overcome and prevent all death, Frankenstein finds that life can not exist fully without death. For, in death comes life. The two analogies thus connect in that the beast was created with the intent of overcoming death, but, Frankenstein believes it actually causes death.
In the phrase above, the two discoveries of Victor Frankenstein are presented through the analogy of the sudden light in darkness. This represents not only the realization of how to make the creation Frankenstein later forms, but also the realization that this creation was what led Frankenstein to the misery of his destiny. By finally realizing how to put the creation together and give it life, Frankenstein experiences an "Aha" moment in which the "light-bulb" suddenly turns on and the "pieces fall into place." Frankenstein suddenly finds light and clarity along the path of knowledge which had previously been dark and impossible to discern. Yet, through this realization, he experienced further clarity of the effect of "causation" and the interconnected aspect of life and death. In his quest to overcome and prevent all death, Frankenstein finds that life can not exist fully without death. For, in death comes life. The two analogies thus connect in that the beast was created with the intent of overcoming death, but, Frankenstein believes it actually causes death. 
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