An anchor can be thought of as an object that holds a ship in place or an idea that a person clings to for personal stability. In this case, the figurative meaning of an anchor can be used to describe the importance of relationships in keeping Victor Frankenstein grounded. His family acts as a witness to reality when he gets too consumed by his current task. Throughout the novel, the presence of Victor's family has caused him to become a better person, as seen when he leaves for college, returns home, and when his loved ones die. Early in the novel, while Victor is surrounded by his family, he is presented as a man with innocent dreams of attending college and expanding his intellectual horizons. In a sense, he lived a sheltered life, always surrounded by his family or his good friend, Henry Clerval, who for him is practically a member of his family. Victor abandons his refuge and his companions for an isolated life at the University of Ingolstadt. Victor immerses himself in his work and slowly but surely, his studies become his sole occupation (Shelley 35). Eventually,...