The book begins with Victor reminiscing his childhood, how his parents met, and the adoption of his sister, Elizabeth. He boasts about having the happiest childhood one could have. He as a child took seriously that Elizabeth was his. He vowed to love, cherish and protect her. Elizabeth had caught the scarlet fever. She was then well, but their mother had it worse and died. Victor becomes fascinated with the question, "Whence did the principle of life proceed?" He began to study the causes of life and death, and examine the natural decay of the human body. He was inspired to create and give life to and being like himself. He dedicated his time and life to piecing together a human being. In November, his creation was complete with yellow eyes and skin, long black hair, white teeth, and black lips. He was terrified of the corpse he gave life to and ran away from it. Clerval had found him and they were overjoyed to see each other. Victor mentioned nothing of his creature and when he went home it wasn't there. They both continued life happily, though the talk of natural philosophy and sciences disturbed Victor. One day, he received a letter from his father informing him that young William, Elizabeth's child, was murdered. He had been playing hide and seek with his brother, but his brother could not find him. The family searched all day and night. Then his father stumbled upon the now lifeless William with a slit neck. Victor returns home to console his family but is told his dear cousin, Justine Moritz, is accused of the murder. Victor knows who the true murder is, the wretch he created, but dares not to tell. Elizabeth tries to prove her innocence and fails, because Justine confesses a lie. Justine is put to death the next day. On Victor's trip back home, he stumbles into his creation. He puts up a fight but the creature convinces him to stay for a moment and listen. It tells Victor its story. It was hated by villagers and farmers, and then found an abandoned cottage to live in. It watched its neighbors, longed to learn their language, and admired their lives. It also told the history of its neighbors. When he finished, he begged and convinced Victor to create a partner for him. Victor obliged, but he tried to delay the work for a long while. When he was close to finished, he saw the monster outside his window grinning. He had thoughts of the two monsters having children to wreak havoc on the world. This terrified him, and he tore apart what was to be the monster's bride. His creation confronted him and threatened him. The wretch told Victor he would be there on Victor's wedding night, and left. Victor journeys back home and witnesses another death. Upon arriving on a new shore, he was taken into custody because the citizens believed he was a murder. When Victor saw the body, it was his best friend, Henry Clerval. Victor knew at once what happened and cried out that he was the murderer. He became ill for a couple months, but when he was nursed back to health, he returned home to his family. Like he was told, the monster was there on the night he were to be wed. Victor believed that he would be the one killed, but, instead, it was his future wife, Elizabeth. The monster had choked her to death and sprang out the window. Victor feels a terrible guilt and sense of loss. In anger and hatred for himself and his creation, he dedicates his life to tracking down what he made to kill it. It is a long chase from Europe to the North Pole. When he gets to the end of his trek, due to sickness and weakness, he is rescued by Captain Robert Walton. Walton and Frankenstein form a kind of friendship as Walton takes care of him.