Motifs: Stars, Fire, Eye
Fire: fire is mentioned on and off throughout the book, it’s usually used to provide warmth to both Victor and the monster. Fire provide both warmth and light, light symbolizes knowledge, discovery, and enlightenment. The natural world is a place of dark secrets, hidden passages, and unknown mechanisms; the goal of the scientist is then to reach light. The dangerous and more powerful cousin of light is fire.
Stars: Stars act as eyes of god, looking down upon both Victor and the Monster. Example: …guardian angel of my life--the last effort made by the spirit of preservation to avert the storm that was even then hanging in the stars, and ready to envelope me. (Letter three pg 3) Thus far I have gone, tracing a secure way over the pathless seas: the very stars themselves being witnesses and testimonies of my triumph. (Chapter 2 pg 27)
Eye: The human eye provides the ability to see. The actual encounter between the monster and the cottager perfectly depicts this bias. De Lacey’s blind yet profound and warm welcome contrasts Felix’s superficial and cruel reception of the monster. Blindness does affect De Lacey’s visibility but it does not weaken his perspicacity, instead it strengthens his perception. However, people who have eyes ironically are blinded by their eyes. Thus, blindness in a way makes perception more thorough and clearer, and so the monster to De Lacey is a “sincere” human creature. On the other hand, the naked eye shortens the range of visibility of Felix.
The first sight that was presented to your eye was the body of your friend, murdered in so unaccountable a manner, and placed, as it were, by some fiend across your path."