Frankenstein and The Great Gatsby Narrator Analysis

The setting for both novels are diverse in terms of framing and societal background. Frankenstein is seen as more of fictional writing while The Great Gatsby is a social critique writing. The novels are also different in that Frankenstein is seen as gothic novel while The Great Gatsby is seen as modernist novel. Frankenstein further uses different themes danger of knowing, lies and deceit, compassion and forgiveness as well as vengeance. On the other hand, he Great Gatsby focusses on the American dream, shallowness of the bourgeoisie and romanticism. This narration is critical for the novel set as it is through this that we come to know about the life of experiences of Victor and the Monster as well as his personal ambition.

The narration lack ordering and accounts for the experiences of both the monster and Victor in different ways. Robert can therefore be pointed out as a reliable narrator as he well illustrates the storyline of victor. He also well merges the narrations of Victor and the Monster without any form of bias or inclination to either the monster or Victor. Frankenstein novel begins by use of letters and continues till the end with Robert remaining the main narrator. The core narrator is the monster which forms the base. In relation to the intend of the author, it could be suggestive of the integral role of the monster in life. It may be a reflection of composition of life. For Shelley, the monster is a mirror for the narrators.

The structure of narration in Frankenstein is so intriguing that a reader’s disbelief is halted. The monster too desires a female companion which never comes to be. Unlike in Frankenstein, The Great Gatsby is narrated by one narrator Nick Carraway. He is the one who observes the world in which the novel is set in and more a character in the story. With such kind of domination, we can argue that he is of great influence in the novel. In the novel, Nick acts as the sole source of information. Nick seems to leave out information in order to maintain perspectives of a reader of the characters. It is therefore evident that Nick leaves out information in order to let a reader know what he intents the reader to know, that which he finds fit.

Consequently, Nick tries to frame the narration in a certain way such that a reader sees the characters in a certain light. Nick’s narration is therefore questionable as it is subjective. He tries to cover for other characters owing to his relationship with them. It is this point in narration that a reader begins questioning the values of American values. His narration on Gatsby makes a reader pity him (Gatsby). Gatsby does the things he does for love. He arranges parties for people, which they attend willingly yet they do not care of his welfare or him. Nick points out that people have no respect on Gatsby and mentions of the characters. Conclusion In both novels therefore there is a sense of use of one narrator.

They have also achieved a sense of layered lies where a reader faces so many lies that it becomes difficulty to realize that one is only being pimped. From both analysis, it is difficult to note that there are alterations made or stories have been made up. By having a single narrator, there is sense of the narrator having the final say. The events that narrators have dominated can be summed up by the idea that in order to have an effect on a group of people, one has to be able to manipulate their feelings by glorify some and holding others back. ” The International Fiction Review. (1982) Pp 57-60. Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft. Frankenstein: The 1818 Texts, Contexts, Nineteenth- Century Responses, Modern Criticism.