The formalist method of literary criticism is primarily focused on the text itself, rather than external topics such as history and background, the author's biographical information, or the social contexts which surround a piece of work. In the formalist perspective, we ask ourselves, why did the author choose to write his or her work in this specific style? Why did he or she choose to include certain literary elements? "What matters most to the formalist …showed first 75 words of 2179 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2179 total…through and nurtured the monster (maybe giving it a name, at the least), they both would have become a great asset to society, instead of a menace. The uses of foreshadowing, point of view, and characterization help the reader to experience the life in which Frankenstein is accustomed to. The author depicts the time period, mood, and tone with the use of setting and plot structure, which is necessary to the understanding of the novel.