The first misfortune of my life occurred—an omen, as it were, of my future misery.
Chapter 3 · Narrator
Context
Victor, narrating retrospectively, describes his mother's death just before his planned departure for university. This is the first major loss of his life.
Analysis
Victor calls his mother's death an "omen" of future misery, a word choice that strips him of agency—omens are read, not caused. By framing this event as a supernatural sign rather than simply a tragedy, he begins constructing a narrative in which his later catastrophes are fated rather than chosen. The dash isolates the interpretive clause, making the omen-reading feel like an afterthought he's inserting into the past.
Essay Tip
Support a thesis that Victor uses fatalistic language throughout his narrative to avoid responsibility—here he retrofits his mother's death as a portent, suggesting he sees himself as destiny's victim rather than an agent making choices.