"It is utterly useless," replied Felix; "we can never again inhabit your cottage. The life of my father is in the greatest danger, owing to the dreadful circumstance that I have related. My wife and my sister will never recover from their horror."
Chapter 16 · Felix De Lacey
Context
Felix explains to his landlord why the family is abandoning the cottage, citing the trauma inflicted on his father and the women by the Creature's sudden appearance.
Analysis
Felix's claim that his family will 'never recover from their horror' uses absolute language ('never,' 'utterly useless') that reveals how completely appearance has determined the Creature's fate—a single glimpse was enough to make reconciliation permanently impossible. The reader knows the Creature meant no harm, so Felix's certainty exposes the irrationality of the family's reaction.
Essay Tip
Use this to argue that Shelley indicts the De Laceys as much as she sympathizes with them—Felix's exaggerated language ('never recover') shows that their so-called virtue is shallow, collapsing instantly when tested by someone who looks monstrous.