Mary Shelley's main character, Victor Frankenstein, in Frankenstein portrays qualities of fascination and understanding while also showing remorse and regret. His desire to push human knowledge forward was rewarded with the destruction of his friends, his family, his wife, and himself. The pictures below portray some of Frankenstein's strongest characteristics, goals, and dilemmas.

Frankenstein's quest for knowledge is similar yet different to that of other well-known scientists. Many early scientists who pushed into new fields of study did so innocuously; however, their pursuit of knowledge is occasionally used to harm mankind. Early nuclear chemists and physicists were interested in understanding the atom. However, their discoveries led to nuclear fission, atomic bombs, and an arms race between the US and USSR. The Wright brothers discovered powered flight with no intention for harm, but their discovery has been used by armies in wars and by terrorist groups. Just as Einstein and the Wright Brothers were interested in better understanding nature, Frankenstein was interested in understanding human anatomy, physiology, and the source of life. However, Frankenstein differs in that some of his motivation and ambition were aimed at controlling nature and asserting man's dominance over natural phenomenon. Frankenstein failed to completely achieve his initial goal. While he did learn about human anatomy and physiology, he failed to successfully control nature. Frankenstein was able to create a human physically but he neglected to plan for the mental component of a human being.

Frankenstein increasingly became more and more isolated as the monster slowly killed off his closest friends and family. Just as these polar bears see their surroundings melt away from around them, Frankenstein saw the people around him melt away. This rapid transformation in his life ultimately pushed him towards delirium as he chased his monster towards the North Pole. The polar bears also symbolize how Frankenstein was separated by the shifting ice as he pursued the monster.

If people do not confuse Frankenstein with his monster, they probably would think of him as a mad scientist who was over joyed to see his creation come to life. On the surface, this cannot be further from the truth. Frankenstein was a timid and reserved man focused on learning more about anatomy and physiology. The sight of his monster alive terrified him and forced him into bed for weeks to recover from his initial shock and fright. However, critics could argue that he had a darker side. A major motivation in Frankenstein's desire to understand anatomy and physiology was so that he could beneficially control human life. This desire to control nature could arguably stem from dark and selfish motives.

Friendship was a key part of Frankenstein's life. When recovering from the fright of seeing his creation come to life to traveling and companionship, Henry Clerval was a key component for Frankenstein's mental sanity as he coped with what he created. However, this reliance on friendship reveals a dichotomy between Frankenstein and the monster. As symbolized at right, Frankenstein had somebody watching out for him during hard times. Frankenstein denied such a right to his creation which is what spawned the monster's destructiveness.

This image shows Frankenstein as he faces a vast, empty glacier in the Swiss Alps. The empty, austere, and vast landscape is indicative of Frankenstein's lack of a solution to his monster. The emptiness of the glacier correlates to the emptiness of his mind when searching for a wise and viable resolution to his monster's destruction. Also, the dangers of the invisible crevices are symbolic of the unforeseen dangers Frankenstein's encounter with the monster may present. The unforeseen dangers also correlate to the unforeseen dangers Frankenstein may encounter with whatever decision his makes.

This image symbolizes Frankenstein in a couple of different ways, some are obvious while others less so. The most obvious is when he is imprisoned for the "murder" of his friend Henry Clerval. Just as Frankenstein is helpless when imprisoned by the authorities, he is also helpless when it comes to the monster's actions. He has no control over what the monster will do next. Therefore, the image also represents the helpless and imprisonment Frankenstein felt as he suffered through the monster's killing of his friends, family, and wife. His helplessness during such times also correlates to his feelings of isolation as the monster wreaks havoc on his system of social support.

This image can be related to Frankenstein as he reflects and decides what he should do with his monster. Frankenstein seeks solitude to gather his thoughts about meeting the monster's demand for a partner and his warning about the consequences if he fails to do so. It also symbolizes the psychological barrier that the monster is trying to wedge between Frankenstein and his family. Frankenstein is ashamed to return home because he knows that his creation is what killed his nephew. The tough questions that Frankenstein has to answer help the readers understand his motives and morals. His ultimate decision not to create a partner indicates that his initial goals were not malicious or ill-intentioned. If Frankenstein had wanted to gain an understanding and control over human life, the creation of a second creature would have given him another opportunity to do so successfully.

This image portrays Frankenstein as he chases his monster through Russia towards the North Pole. It shows the solitude he endured as he edged further north and as the ice began to shift. The sledder in the image is also indicative of Frankenstein's determination to rectify the problem that he created. Frankenstein entered a state of delirium as the monster took more and more victims. This caused him to travel into a deathtrap. If the harsh environment would not kill Frankenstein, he would be at the mercy of his fiendish creation. Despite the many perils, he continued to push north in a demented and tormented state of mind.