Characteristics Of Robert Walton In Frankenstein

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Many stories that have been told throughout the ages talk about a hero; for example, the Odyssey, Beowulf, and Finding Nemo.  In some tales the hero is obvious, while in others the hero is more subtle. When the Hero is obvious he takes over the main plot of the entire story; when the hero is subtle, he remains in the background and chooses his moments of appearance. In Mary Shelley’s book, Frankenstein, the subtle hero is Robert Walton. He goes on an adventure thinking he can change a part of the world, and the world ends up changing him.
In order to understand how Robert Walton is a hero, it is important to understand the characteristics of a hero. A hero does more than save the day and win the battle, he starts his journey naïve and inexperienced and on the way …show more content…

THrough his letters to his sister he explains his intentions to travel to the North Pole to see what no man has seen before.  It takes him four months to gather the supplies needed such as a vessel to travel on and a strong and dependable crew.  Late into Robert’s journey he writes about a stranger he picks up from the middle of the waters. “So strange an accident has happened to us that I cannot forbear recording it, although it is very probable that you will see me before these papers can come into your possession” (Shelley 8).  The stranger was none other than Victor Frankenstein, and he begins to give an explanation to why he was in the middle of the ocean. Robert observes and takes notes of Victor’s horrific predicament. Upon hearing the terrible tale, Robert is left determining what to believe all while debating putting the lives of himself and his crew in danger. Robert is instructed by Viktor that it would be ignorant to continue on, therefore the expedition comes to an end.  Victor dies, and Robert Walton is left on his own to make sense of all the events that occurred throughout this

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