Frankenstein Secrecy Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (chapter.paragraph)

Quote #7

I saw plainly that he was surprised, but he never attempted to draw my secret from me; and although I loved him with a mixture of affection and reverence that knew no bounds, yet I could never persuade myself to confide in him that event which was so often present to my recollection, but which I feared the detail to another would only impress more deeply. (6.12)

Victor's torn between wanting to confess everything to Clerval and worrying that telling him about it will just make it more real—as though keeping it secret will mean that it didn't happen. (Um, we can attest from personal experience that this does not work.)

Quote #8

This was strange and unexpected intelligence; what could it mean? Had my eyes deceived me? And was I really as mad as the whole world would believe me to be if I disclosed the object of my suspicions? I hastened to return home, and Elizabeth eagerly demanded the result (8.14)

Victor knows that Justine isn't really guilty—he thinks. Either way, it's just one more reason to keep the monster's existence to himself… which means one more reason to drag out the whole tragedy.

Quote #9

My father had often, during my imprisonment, heard me make the same assertion; when I thus accused myself, he sometimes seemed to desire an explanation, and at others he appeared to consider it as the offspring of delirium, and that, during my illness, some idea of this kind had presented itself to my imagination, the remembrance of which I preserved in my convalescence. (22.4)

Well, here's one problem we haven't considered: even if Victor does tell his secret, no one's going to believe him. In fact, his father just thinks it's "delirium"—crazy talk.