Alphonse Frankenstein's complacency stems from his sense of a professional brotherhood
with these men, for, it must be remembered from the beginning (I:1:1) of Victor's
narrative, that Alphonse too has sat in the syndic's chair, as had his ancestors before
him. Mary Shelley stresses not only the tight-knit patriarchy of Genevan society,
but also, more narrowly, the ease with which the system can implicate all its members
in an act of injustice, even when, as is the case with the Frankenstein family, they
are convinced of the innocence of the accused.