In the narrative of A. Gordon Pym, Poe used several different constructions in order to compose his text. He used the normal composition that we are used to from reading his other tales, a journal format, and a highly explanatory format. He often abruptly stops one technique and begins another. After discussing the plight of Dirk Peters, Poe digresses into an explanatory form of composition where he attempts to speaker directly:
Because I shall have frequent occasion to mention him hereafter in the course of my narrative – a narrative, let me here say, which in its latter portions, will be found to include incidents of a nature so entirely out of range of human experience, and for this reason so far beyond the limits of human credulity, that I proceed in utter hopelessness of obtaining credence for all that I shall tell, yet confidently trusting in time and progressing science to verify some of the most important and most improbable of my statements. (1044)
He then proceeds to fall back into a narrative voice to depict the events on the deck of the Grampus.
Poe furthers his disregard for a continual narrative voice by describing the days beneath deck. He begins using a journal method of composition. Arthur begins each day’s events by stating the month and then the day. I find the change in the meaning of the definite article ‘I’ from defining the narrator in the aforementioned example to defining Arthur as he describes his days beneath of the deck to be distracting and problematic.
In the preface, “Arthur” warns the reader of the inconsistencies in the text by writing, “even to those readers point out where his portion ends and my own commences; the difference in point of style will be readily perceived” (1008). I do not accept this excuse as an adequate reason for the inconsistencies in the text. I find the change of defining articles, format, and compositional qualities to be tiresome and a nuisance. The complexity of the storyline requires a strong narrative voice that can accurately and sufficiently depict events.
I readily understand that not all share my view on continuity. What are your opinions on the flow of the text? Do you find the changes of voice and compositional format distracting? Does warning the reader of a discrepancy excuse it from happening?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I agree with you adam. The compisition of Poes writing in this peice destract from an otherwise enjoyabal narrative. I dont believe that warning the reader of this change does not excuse, but rather confuse the reader! Why has Poe decided to halt his narrative for the inclusion of journal entries? I feel he MUST be doing this for a reason. Yes, we could say that he includes these journals as a refrence of time and date...but somehow the preface of the narrative makes me think the journal use is something more. I keep going back to Poe's refrence to "truth" in the preface, "...I feared I should not be able to write, form mere memory, a statement so minute and connected as to have the appearance of that truth it would really posess..." He goes on to talk about the "unavoidibal exageration" to which all are prone to when recalling a powerful/important event. All of this shows Poes intense mistrust of printed truth and historical accounts. Perhaps the inclusion of these boaring journals ar esomewhat of a comment on that? What does everyone else think?
I agree that the journal entries and tangents are distracting. If the narrative managed to remain coherent, it would be a gem of nautical fiction, I do believe.
As a heads-up..don't forget Pym. I think I'll be bringing it back up during my book review.
Post a Comment