Frankenstein
Mary Shelley
After Victor accepts the creature's demands, Henry's presence in England forces Victor to realize fully how his creation has plagued him and, more significantly, his family. Through the use of metaphor, Shelley demonstrates how ambition sets people up for devastation.
While at Oxford, Henry's enthusiasm for the beauty of the city reminded Victor of his inability to feel the same enthusiasm. To express his destitution, Victor compares himself to a tree struck by lightning: "But I am a blasted tree; the bolt has entered by soul; and I felt then that I should survive to exhibit what I shall soon cease to be-a miserable spectacle of wrecked humanity, pitiable to others and intolerable to myself," (Shelley, 116-117). Like a tree, Victor strove to tower over all others in knowledge by defeating nature. However, like lightning, tragedy sought out Victor's audacity because of its magnitude in comparison to those of all others. The comparison of Victor to a tree sought out by lightning suggests to the reader that pushing the limits of reality will make one a target of tragedy.
Unfortunately, Victor bore only a portion of the tragedy attracted by his audacity. Although lightning rods typically dissipate the destruction of lightning, sparing surrounding structures, Victor attracted tragedy and conducted it to his family and friends. Victor's daring defiance toward death tempted tragedy to seek out William and Justine.
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