Come, Victor; not brooding thoughts of vengeance against the assassin, but with feelings of peace and gentleness, that will heal, instead of festering, the wounds of our minds.
Chapter 7 · Alphonse Frankenstein
Context
Concluding his letter, Alphonse urges Victor to return home not with anger toward the killer, but with compassion for the grieving family. He frames the homecoming as an act of emotional care rather than retribution.
Analysis
The medical metaphor of wounds that "heal" versus "fester" treats vengeance as a kind of infection—something that spreads and poisons if not checked. Alphonse contrasts "brooding thoughts" (inward, stagnant) with "feelings of peace and gentleness" (outward, active), positioning forgiveness not as passive acceptance but as deliberate emotional labor that prevents further damage.
Essay Tip
Support a thesis that the novel distinguishes between justice and revenge by framing them in bodily terms—Alphonse's metaphor suggests vengeance is a wound that compounds itself, while true healing requires actively choosing restraint.