"Alas! My father," said I, "how little do you know me. Human beings, their feelings and passions, would indeed be degraded if such a wretch as I felt pride. Justine, poor unhappy Justine, was as innocent as I, and she suffered the same charge; she died for it; and I am the cause of this—I murdered her. William, Justine, and Henry—they all died by my hands."
Chapter 22 · Victor Frankenstein
Context
Victor responds to his father, who believes Victor is ashamed of being accused of murder. Victor insists his suffering stems from a deeper source and confesses his role in the deaths of Justine, William, and Henry.
Analysis
Victor claims "they all died by my hands," yet his hands never directly killed anyone—the Creature did. This slippage between literal and figurative language makes his confession simultaneously true and misleading. He can tell his father the truth while knowing it will be dismissed as delirium, giving him the emotional release of confession without the risk of being believed. It's a confession designed to fail.
Essay Tip
Support a thesis that Victor's confessions are performative rather than genuine—he structures his language so dramatically ('by my hands') that it ensures his father will interpret it as madness, allowing Victor to avoid real accountability while still feeling he has unburdened himself.