The Phantom of the Opera is a novel written by Gaston Leroux. The novel is set in Paris. The exact time is not known but it should be around 1910. Critics' opinions are very different. Although Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera has not generally been highly regarded by critics, many would agree that there are several elements that demonstrate that Leroux is a talented writer. One of the strongest elements of the novel is the narrator's voice. The narrator is on a search, starting with the question of whether the Phantom of the Opera was real and trying to find evidence to reach a conclusion. Takes the reader behind the scenes of the play. He does it with the themes of appearance and reality. It also uses other themes such as horror and innocence. Another element of this novel is Leroux's sense of the scene. He had a sense of mystery while visiting the Paris Opera House, and thus introduced its culture. Themes play an important role in most novels. The Phantom of the Opera is no exception. There are four themes in the novel. Appearance and reality are two contrasting themes. The mask Erik wears separates his appearance from reality. “When he puts on his mask, Christine may believe he is a poor, misunderstood man who simply hasn't been given the attention he deserves. When he presents himself to her as the spirit of music, she responds to his musical gift and truly sees him as an angel” (Newark). When she sees his face, however, she is so terrified that she will never be able to think fondly of him again. “Beyond the Phantom's appearance, however, his entire existence is a great farce. He's very gifted, but h... middle of paper... yes, Daniel. "The Phantom of the Opera." Booklist 106.3 (2009): 46. MAS Ultra-School Edition. Network. November 3, 2011.Eds, Mark Milne, Ira and Timothy Sisler. "The Phantom of the Opera." Novels for students. vol. 20. Detroit: Thomson Gale, 2005. Print.Eds, Mark Milne, Ira and Timothy Sisler. "The Phantom of the Opera." Detroit: Gale, 2005. 125-145. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Network. 26 October 2011. .Newark, Cormac. "Vous Qui Faites L'endormie": The Ghost and the Buried Voices of the Paris Opera." vol. 33.JSTOR. 62-78. University of California Press. Network. 3 November 2011. .Poupard, Dennis, ed. "Gaston Leroux 1868-1927." Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism. Vol. 25. Detroit: Gale Research, 1988. Print.