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What happens in Chapter 24 of Frankenstein?
Victor’s story culminates in his meeting with Walton in the frozen North after months of tracking the monster, ultimately entreating Walton to continue his search for vengeance after he is dead.
What happens in “Walton, in Continuation” in Frankenstein?
In “Walton, in Continuation,” we hear the end of the story through letters Walton sends to his sister. He says that after Victor dies, he discovers the monster weeping over Victor’s body. The monster tells Walton he regrets having become an instrument of evil before he departs the ship into the darkness to presumably die himself.
Read our Summary & Analysis of Chapter 24 & Walton, in Continuation. (3-minute read)
How does ice serve as a symbol in Frankenstein?
In its final two chapters, Frankenstein ends where it began in Letter 1, on the ice. Our explanation of Ice as a symbol in the novel explains how ice is used to cut off the main characters from humanity, and how it impacts the three of them—Victor, the monster, and Walton—differently.
Read about how Ice as a key Symbol (#2) in Frankenstein. (1-minute read)
How has his encounter with Victor impacted Walton in Frankenstein?
It’s been a long time since we have had direct contact with Robert Walton, but when he returns to the forefront in the novel’s last two chapters, we find that he is faced with a life-defining decision: Should he follow the example of Victor (whom he admires) and continue with Victor’s mission to seek out and destroy the monster, or should he instead learn from Victor’s mistakes and turn around his ship ending his expedition? In the end he does as his crew wants rather than what Victor had asked—thus chooses humanity over ambition.
Read our Q&A explaining why Walton turns his ship around. (1-minute read)
At the end of Frankenstein, who has learned more: Victor or the monster?
We’ve already discussed how Walton learns—largely through Victor’s negative example—at the end of the novel, but what about the two principle characters in Frankenstein? The intellectual and emotional growth of the monster throughout the novel has been astonishing, and in his captivating encounter with Walton at the end of Walton, in Continuation we see the culmination of that growth as he beautifully explains to Walton what his short time among the living has taught him. On the other hand, Victor has shown some signs of having learned one or two harsh lessons from his wasted life, but as he dies, we can see that any growth in Victor was minor at best.
Read a brief essay about what the ending of Frankenstein means.
Read our Q&A about whether Victor has learned from his mistakes.
Are there any important quotes in the last two chapters of Frankenstein?
“He sprang from the cabin-window as he said this, upon the ice raft which lay close to the vessel. He was soon borne away by the waves and lost in darkness and distance.”
Yes, many of the novels most important quotes—by Victor, the monster, and Walton—come in the two concluding chapters, including Walton’s haunting final words (above) at the very end.
Read explanations to 12 key quotes from the last two chapters of Frankenstein.
What’s a good way to get a quick recap Frankenstein?
If you want an overall review or a recap, SparkNotes offers a Full Book Summary as well as a Full Book Analysis of Frankenstein that was created to help you better understand and appreciate Mary Shelley’s remarkable novel.
Read our Full Book Summary of Frankenstein. (4-mintue read).
Read our Full Book Analysis of Frankenstein. (4-mintue read).
