We perceived a low carriage, fixed on a sledge and drawn by dogs, pass on towards the north, at the distance of half a mile; a being which had the shape of a man, but apparently of gigantic stature, sat in the sledge and guided the dogs.
Letters, Letter 4 · Robert Walton
Context
Walton's ship, trapped in Arctic ice and fog, has just cleared enough to reveal a strange sight: a sledge traveling northward across the frozen wasteland, driven by a figure of enormous size.
Analysis
The phrase "a being which had the shape of a man" suspends ordinary naming—Walton cannot bring himself to call the figure simply "a man." This hesitation signals that the creature falls outside recognizable human categories, preparing readers to question the boundary between human and monstrous before we know anything about Victor's creation. The clinical distance of "shape of" treats the body as a geometric problem rather than a person.
Essay Tip
Use this to argue that the novel positions monstrosity as a problem of perception and language before it becomes a moral problem—Walton's refusal to name the creature as human reveals how physical difference alone can strip someone of social recognition.