Frankenstein: Structure

Frankenstein was nothing like what I expected it to be, both in content and in structure.  I have already discussed how it broke from and exceeded my expectations, but I will now go more in-depth as to why I enjoyed the story's structure so much.  I will save my thoughts on the content of the novel for another time.

Frankenstein begins with a series of letters between Robert Walton and his sister, and this structure establishes the novel as an epistolary.  I overheard a few conversations in class about this type of writing, and it seems that many people have issues with it.  I understand that my opinion doesn't necessarily match those of others, but I honestly can't imagine why someone might have a real issue with this structure.  Some criticized the letters in the beginning of the book for their apparent lack of relevance, and some criticized them for being dull.  Any book might be criticized for beginning slowly, so this complaint isn't important.  I can give some credit to those that think the beginning is irrelevant, as that is how it appears until the closing chapters.  However, the first three or so letters in the novel give exposition relevant to the entire novel, as they establish its setting - or at least, the first narrative frame's setting.

The narrative frames also appeared to cause some trouble.  I don't think this is quite as bizarre as people make it seem; there are many instances in literature where previous events are extensively recounted and explained.  Any time a novel includes a flashback, it does exactly what Frankenstein does.  Frankenstein is memorable for this because its flashbacks are extended, multi-chapter, expository segments.  Despite their length, these flashbacks aren't quite so different from those in any other novel.  Some argue that the story-within-a-story format is a difficult thing to understand, but Frankenstein makes it very clear who is talking and what has transpired thus far at any point in the story.

I understand that Frankenstein has a slightly odd format, but it is not extremely different from things that we've read before.  It's certainly not the strangest thing that I've read.  While some people have difficulty with its format, Frankenstein is strengthened considerably by its layered construction.