Letters 1 through 4 in Frankenstein provide a frame structure that begins with Walton writing his sister letters that describe his journey, in which he meets Victor Frankenstein on an ice floe in the Arctic.

Shelly uses the frame narrative structure to provide different perspectives on characters and events. We are given three points of views with a shared narrative. Victor, the monster, and Walton all build meaning and theme. Framing of the story allows Shelly to build suspense and plot within a defined context. The story begins with Walton as the narrator and ends with him as well . We get his reflections at the beginning as well as the end. Although Walton has much in common with Victor, Walton's perspective can be seen as the more reliable of the three characters.