Questions About The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket, please sign up.

Answered Questions (2)

I'm reading this currently and wonder: Was it Poe who invented the "shipwrecked people draw straws to see who gets eaten first" trope?

Tracy There are accounts of this actually happening. Poe may have gotten the idea from survivors' accounts of the wreck of the Essex, which occurred in 1820…moreThere are accounts of this actually happening. Poe may have gotten the idea from survivors' accounts of the wreck of the Essex, which occurred in 1820 (about 10 years before Poe's book was written.) "In the Heart of the Sea" by Nathaniel Philbrick is a good account of the Essex story.(less)

flag

This question contains spoilers... (view spoiler)

Mayumi Amargo I went ahead and found the quote. "[...]Words have no power to impress the mind with the exquisite horror of their reality," Chapter Pg. 75, Kindle Ed…moreI went ahead and found the quote. "[...]Words have no power to impress the mind with the exquisite horror of their reality," Chapter Pg. 75, Kindle Edition.(less)

flag

Unanswered Questions (2)

This question contains spoilers... (view spoiler)

Early in the book, this is written about Augustus’s room on the Grampus: “There were many other little comforts in the room, among which I ought not to forget a kind of safe or refrigerator, in which Augustus pointed out to me a host of delicacies, both in the eating and drinking department.” Refrigerator? Surely not a mechanical one, as they hadn’t been invented very long.

Answer

Flag

About Goodreads Q&A

Ask and answer questions about books!

You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.

See Featured Authors Answering Questions

Learn more