Frankenstein

While this is my first time reading Frankenstein I can already tell it is an incredible novel, with tons of depth. My favorite part so far is on page 17 August 19th. Walton writes to his sister sharing that the stranger he found stated, "you may easily perceive, Captain Walton, that I have suffered great and unparalleled misfortunes. I had determined once that the memory of these evils should die with me, but you have won me to alter my determination." (17) This passage is by far my favorite for the way the tone dramatically shifts. At the beginning of the book, the letters exchanged from Walton to his sister were written in a tone of despair, and loneliness, and false hope as they both our on their own journeys, neither seeming satisfied with their life choices. Relating this back to the passage above, the tone in the novel changes to a hopeful one as Walton shares a feeling of happiness that the stranger demonstrated to him. For once in the novel I feel that the story might not be all despair and isolation after all. While this letter is not a giant part of the book, it is huge in the sense that it captures Walton and the stranger embarking on a new journey together. Thus, Walton's overall path is changing to a brighter less lonely one, one with maybe even a friend which he touched on earlier in the text. The passage continues stating, "you seek for knowledge and wisdom, as I once did; and I ardently hope that the gratification of your wishes may not be a serpent to sting you, as mine has been." (17) The main theme in the passage seemed to consist of one, exploration as it is highlighted with "you seek for knowledge and wisdom" demonstrating Walton's adventure is leading him to knowledge of some kind. While the other theme in the context is hope, as the text states, "you have won me to alter my determination" concluding the path of despair is no longer an option.  Therefore my question are what theme do you think is being expressed in this passage aside from hope and what other major changes are shifting from this passage, aside from the relationship with Walton and his guest?