Dreams that had been my food and pleasant rest for so long a space were now become a hell to me; and the change was so rapid, the overthrow so complete!
Chapter 5 · Victor Frankenstein
Context
Victor reflects on how suddenly his long-cherished dreams of creating life have turned into a source of torment now that he has succeeded.
Analysis
Shelley gives the abstract noun "dreams" a physical role—they "had been my food"—so that Victor's ambition is portrayed as something he consumed to survive, making his current state one of starvation now that the dreams are gone. The parallel structure "so rapid, the overthrow so complete" uses brevity and repetition to mimic the speed of his mental collapse, refusing the reader any gradual transition and forcing us to experience the shock Victor feels.
Essay Tip
Support a thesis that Victor's obsession was psychologically sustained by delay and anticipation—as long as the goal remained distant, he could fantasize about it, but the moment it becomes real, the fantasy structure collapses and he is left with only horror.