Impressions of Walton.

So our blogging task this week was to blog on our impressions and opinions of Walton, the primary narrator of the novel of Frankenstein. I'm going to bullet point my opinions because just...yeah.

• The first letter Walton writes is to his sister, Margaret Saville (ew Saville) who is in England. He is informing her of his safe arrival and expresses both his elation and his fears towards his expedition to the North Pole. The letter basically recounts his life. Walton's expressions towards his expedition present his as a very enthusiastic character who wants to discover. However, his view and belief of the North Pole is quite mistaken as he mentions "there snow and frost are banished". Walton's geographical mistakes, although quite minor considering very little was known about the world when Mary Shelley wrote the novel, inserts an element of uncertainty towards the character. I believe it is used to cause the reader to question the reliability of Walton's judgement's towards other characters and the story as a whole. 
• His views of his expedition are quite poetic and romantic, he believes "the sun is for ever visible" and "diffuses a perpetual splendour." Walton's romantic presentation is not surprising as Frankenstein was written during the Romantic Period - a period which started in the late 18th century and carried on into the first few decades of the 19th century. So argue that Walton's letters highlight the influences which would have affected the writing of the novel rather than an opinion of the character.
• (Another non-opinion towards Walton, more how he allows the story to be told) Basically, Shelley's use of Walton's letters allows her to begin the novel in an epistolary style which creates a narrative frame as the narratives are essentially separate rather than linear and so become interdependent towards one another.  
• Walton appears fearful in regards towards his expedition and bids his sister , with what he hopes is not a final farewell. The characters fear and slight reluctance towards the expedition will present a sense of foreboding into the text and possible create tension and suspense as the reader may question why a character who is so full of passion towards learning and knowledge is so fearful of this trip. 
• There appears to be quite a few similarities between the characters of Walton and Victor and at times Walton appears to anticipate the character of Victor. This is shown through the characters rejection towards a life of domestic ease for a life of adventure and a quest for knowledge, both desire or want a sympathetic friend and both characters become isolated from family and friends on their own personal glory quests. 
• Basically, I feel Shelley has used the character of Walton to mirror the main character Victor and I feel she has done this to possibly create sympathy towards the main character as the mirroring suggests that this want for knowledge and desire to be amazing and glorified can affect everyone and is not just isolated towards the character of Victor.   
• The lengths of the letters and the tone should also be considered because the first two letters are quite similar, there is quite a relaxed feeling and tone towards them and are quite lengthly and detailed. However, the third letter is rushed and short - element of foreboding and creates tension and suspense for the reader - Walton meets the monster in the next letter.