Frame Story Inception

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is a frame story. The preface of the story is set through the four stories at the beginning of the novel. In the fourth letter, we meet Victor Frankenstein, the narrator of the story within Frankenstein. "I had determined, at one time, that the memory of these evils should die with me, but you have won me to alter my determination." (Shelley, 13). Victor then begins to explain his life and the disasters awaiting him. Furthermore, there are more stories within Victor's story. Victor tells brief anecdotes about the important people he meets. Now, we have a story within a story within a story. Additionally, these anecdotes inform us about the characteristics and histories of the characters, which can be used to infer the reasoning behind characters' decisions. The frame stories serve to help the flow of the story. There is no need for the author to explain all the characters' actions. With the background given, we can infer the reasoning.