"Do not ask me," cried I, putting my hands before my eyes, for I thought I saw the dreaded spectre glide into the room; "_he_ can tell. Oh, save me! Save me!"
Chapter 5 · Victor Frankenstein
Context
Victor cries out to Clerval in a panic, covering his eyes because he believes he sees the creature entering the room, and begs Clerval to save him before collapsing.
Analysis
Victor's fragmented syntax—"Do not ask me," the interrupted "he can tell," the repeated imperative "Save me!"—breaks down into near-incoherence, his speech disintegrating under psychological pressure. The pronoun "he" is left unexplained, and because Clerval has no idea what Victor is talking about, the reader experiences Clerval's confusion and alarm, positioned to see Victor as Clerval does: as someone who has lost his mind.
Essay Tip
Support a thesis that this moment marks Victor's complete psychological breakdown and his refusal to take responsibility—instead of explaining or confronting what he has done, he begs someone else to "save" him, a pattern of evasion and dependence on others that will define his behavior throughout the novel.