A character's growth is measured upon their self-realization, capabilities, and accomplishments. This growth continues over a period of time when the character is caught in between two worlds, like Victor Frankenstein was when he was creating the monster in Ingolstadt. He was tested throughout all of Frankenstein, trying to find the true meaning of himself and his work. Victor approaches many different opportunities to help out those around him and to stop the destruction that his creation, the monster, is generating. Victor does not feel that he has enough power to help those around him; he would rather keep the evil secret about the monster to himself than to ever tell anyone that he has ever loved. This dilemma burns inside of him throughout a major portion of the novel and begins to fill his life with guilt just as soon as Justine is accused of killing William. Victor begins feeling a sense of loneliness and guilt while at Ingolstadt beginning shortly after Justine and William are killed, up to his own death bed on the ship with Walton. Victor lives the rest of his life in constant fear that his life and the life of others around him could abruptly come to an end.
Victor Frankenstein begins his journey as he leaves home shortly after his mother has passed away. At Ingolstadt, a highly prestigious university Victor begins to learn about all of the great minds in science and starts to understand the human body and its wants, needs, and basic way of life. He wants to do something exceptionally wonderful for the scientific world, to be known as an incredible scientist. .
"A new species would bless me as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me. No father could claim the gratitude of his child so completely as I should deserve their's. Pursuing these reflection, I thought, that if I could bestow animation upon lifeless matter, I might in process of time renew life where death had apparently devoted the body of corruption," (32).