Mary Shelley develops the character of Victor Frankenstein, a young chemist who discovers the secrets of the creation of life, with an endless thirst for knowledge. His studies and desires lead him to build a creature that wreaks havoc on Victor and everything he loves. However, this story is not one of steady decline, but a rollercoaster of emotions, both for Victor Frankenstein and his Creature. Throughout Frankenstein, Mary Shelley uses vivid descriptions of the seasons and time as a symbol of happiness and hope, or lack thereof, to demonstrate how each character deals with the inevitable ups and downs in life. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Soon after its creation, the creature suffers unbearable pain and misery, continuing through the first two winters of its hopeless life. First, as soon as the creature enters the world, it begins to feel cold; “Before leaving your apartment, feeling cold, I had covered myself with some clothes, but these were not sufficient to protect me from the night dew. I was poor, defenseless, miserable” (119). The creature has no parents to care for him and does not understand why he does not feel warmth. Furthermore, the void left by Victor's absence creates a metaphorical cold in the creature's heart. His loneliness causes misery far worse than any physical cold. Furthermore, once winter returns a year later, the creature is distressed to see the leaves fall, while its hopes of acceptance plummet; “The autumn passed like this. I saw, with surprise and pain, the leaves rot and fall, and nature take on again the barren and desolate appearance it had had when I first saw the woods” (156). The creature does not yet understand the seasons, he is afraid of reliving the cold and suffering he endured for the first time a year earlier. His lack of comfort and a parental figure makes him increasingly desperate for compassion and companionship. He wishes to reveal himself to the villagers, but still doesn't believe they will accept him. This cold endured by the miserable creature is symbolic of a low point in his life. On the other hand, nature distracts Victor from his problems and shows that those going through a difficult time can still experience happiness through simple pleasures. To begin with, on his trip to Chamounix, summer brings joy to Victor; “The same winds whispered with soothing tones, and maternal Nature no longer ordered me to cry.” (108). Instead of worrying about his creation in the wild, Victor is reminded of all that is good in the world. Elements of nature like this add romance to the novel, taking a more idealistic view of Victor's strange situation. Later, while traveling through Switzerland with Henry, Victor once again loses focus on his true situation; “I, depressed in mind, and my spirit continually agitated by gloomy feelings, I too was happy” (188). Looking past all the stress and pain he faces, Victor sees the good in nature and the world. The intuition of the Swiss mountains intimidates him and distracts him from his real problems. Victor's ignorant bliss proves that summer and heat can permeate the deepest, darkest depressions. Victor's most stressful encounters with the creature often occur in harsh, cold climates. These settings symbolize the physical and metaphorical cold imposed on Victor, to which the creature is immune. Initially before his encounter with the Creature, Victor already feels cold and uncomfortable; “The air was cold and it began to rain again; we entered the.