Victor seems, in many ways, like a reliable narrator, so we can trust that the bulk of his narrative is true. One of the things that makes him so reliable is the fact that he continues to claim that he has done nothing wrong. Although he, at times, professes to feeling great guilt at various stages of his life, at other times -- especially in the end -- he argues that there has been nothing unethical about his behavior. In his final hours, he tells Captain Walton, "'During these last days I have been occupied in examining my past conduct; nor do I find it blameable.'" If Victor believed that he had done something wrong, then his defensiveness might color his narrative, leading him to stretch the truth if not lie outright, in such a way as to incur our sympathy and make him seem somehow less responsible for the story's events. However, since he thinks that his conduct has been appropriate, he has no reason to conceal anything.
Further, the creature himself confirms much of what Victor has said in the final pages of the novel, when he speaks to Captain Walton. He, likewise, has no reason to lie. He has no need to impress Walton or set any record straight, so he has no motive to dissimulate either. Thus, Victor's total inability to take responsibility for the tragedies of this story and the corroboration of the creature he made, render him a fairly reliable narrator. We can say that Victor's recounting of the facts of the story is trustworthy, but we may then judge his behavior for ourselves.
No comments:
Post a Comment