The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 discussion

Here is what we have to look forward to, from the blurb at the back of the book:

Mutiny, shipwreck and famine; butchery, discovery, calamity!

Sounds like an exciting start to 2020!

In Chapter 1, we meet our protagonist, Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket and his friend Augustus Barnard.

What are your first impressions of these two young men?

The two decide to go on a midnight sail with Arthur's boat, Ariel.
Was this a smart thing to do?

In Chapter 2, Augustus helps Arthur to stowaway on the ship Grampus, in command of Captain Barnard, Augustus' father.
Why? Do you think Arthur is already regretting his actions after more than a week in the dark? What is his reaction to Tiger, his Newfoundland dog?

In Chapter 3, we see Arthur in dire straits. Why? What condition is he in?

In Chapters 4 and 5, we learn what happened on board ship while Arthur was left alone in the dark, and meet a new character, Dirk Peters.

Please comment on anything that strikes your fancy.
Does this remind you of other adventure stories? Is there anything unique about this one so far?
Do you think Captain Barnard and the loyal crew members made it to safety?

I don't understand most of the ship-related and sailing-related terms, but so far I've been able to get through the story without them. The story is exciting and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. The two boys are relatable, even by modern standards, and I'm enjoying their friendship. I think the captain and crew members are fine.

I am hoping they are fine. I think that Arthur can be easily dominated by Augustus.

Rosemarie wrote: "What are your first impressions of these two young men?
The two decide to go on a midnight sail with Arthur's boat, Ariel.
Was this a smart thing to do?,..."

Both young men are rash and reckless, and eager for adventure, without much thought of dangers or consequences. But the midnight trip on Ariel initially doesn't seem to be a particularly dangerous idea, as the night is fine. It's Augustus's state of extreme drunkenness that is the problem.

Arthur's consequent terror in being left in charge of the boat reminded me of the plight of some of Poe's protagonists in his short stories (eg when being buried alive). Poe's predilection for horror is very evident here, with Arthur feeling paralysed, and then hearing the scream "as if from the throats of a thousand demons", at which he loses consciousness. All good blood-curdling stuff. It was a bit of an anti-climax to learn that the shouts were those of warning from the rescue ship... but this all seems to presage far more blood-curdling stuff to come.

And sure enough by the next chapter here is Arthur willingly trapped in his coffin-like enclosure in the hold, and finding himself with putrifying food, terrible dreams and again paralysed - this time held down by a monster who turns out to be the dog Tiger. After more fears and horrors he manages to decipher the note, only to find it talking of blood; and then is attacked by the demented dog before finally being rescued by Augustus - who has his own tale of horrors to tell.

Poe piles terror on terror, but in the circumstances all the terrors are believable enough. Like Lori I have little knowledge of sailing-ships, but Poe's detailed and vivid descriptions carried me along regardless. The only trouble is that the long unbroken paragraphs seem even longer when read on a Kindle.

There is that about Poe's style. If I remember from reading the prologue of the book, the style should change sometime during the book. Poe does tend to go on and on and on in one long sentence.

My first thought when Arthur agreed to stowaway was: "Is he crazy?"
Poe's ability to create terror and suspense are certainly shown in the next chapters.

I had not finished this section yet but I am finding it a good story. This time is the first time that I read Poe in the original, until now I only have read his works in translation, and I am really surprised by being able to read it because reading Lovecraft is very hard for me and Poe lived decades earlier. My only hindrances are the nautical terms so I have to look, as soon as possible, for a list of them to be able to understand the scene when they appear in the story. Said that I have a doubt. When boats or brigs are referred they receive feminine pronouns, she and her, not neutral ones, it and its. This is Poe's style or was a thing at the 19th century?

I agree with Rosemarie that Arthur can be dominated, and Emma my impression was that the night was fine only in the drunken Augustus' imagination. I was also struck by the creepy coffin and burial imagery. The inability of Arthur to judge time makes it even more claustrophobic.

Rafael, good question about boats! English is such a contradictory language. Although most nouns are not masculine or feminine in English, it was and still is traditional to refer to all watercraft as "she."

Rafael, I didn't understand all the naval terms either, since I don't know that much about boats. So I just visualized the scenes on the ship, which helped me a lot.
I am so glad you can read this in English. Poe must be hard to translate at times.

Erich, good point about the inability to judge time, in the dark. That part was creepier than some of his short stories.

Abigail wrote: "Rafael, good question about boats! English is such a contradictory language. Although most nouns are not masculine or feminine in English, it was and still is traditional to refer to all watercraft..."

Oh! Thank you for this information.

Rosemarie wrote: "Rafael, I didn't understand all the naval terms either, since I don't know that much about boats. So I just visualized the scenes on the ship, which helped me a lot.
I am so glad you can read this ..."

I would have trouble to understand them even in portuguese, now imagine in another language, haha

I would need a dictionary, for sure, Rafael.

I too have difficulty with nautical terms here as I did with my recent read of Conrad's Typhoon. The problem it presents is that I often can't accurately visualize what is happening. In the description of some of the events when Arthur is a stowaway, I am unclear on what is happening. I do make a visualization but I am totally unsure if its accurate.
I find Poe's writing in this to be very stilted, the narrative serving as a formal report on the events. I did not expect this even though I've read several Poe short stories and should know his style. Interestingly, I felt the same when reading Lovecraft's At the Mountains of Madness. The formality is likely intentionally adopted for relaying a tale with horrorific events that may not be believed.

The style changes in a few chapters to a journal form.

I’m behind as usual. I’ve always enjoyed Poe and was really enjoying the story until chapter 4 and 5, which felt very lengthy and slow to me. I’m reading on a kindle so some of the nautical terms are in the dictionary. I’ve also read Conrad so the terms don’t seem to be slowing me down. The version I’m using is Oxford which has been great with preliminary info and footnotes.

I loved the creepy first chapters which seem to be standard Poe. The misadventure on the boat at night and the coffin like/crypt like atmosphere of the ship. His writing then seems to change in chapters 4 and 5. Maybe it’s me being influenced because of the footnote in my book. My intro indicated he didn’t want to write a novel but was pushed by his publisher and gave in due to financial needs. He wrote a few chapters and then was fired; later continuing the story on his own. The footnote mentioned indicated where that change took place.

Still it is fun to start the year off with an adventure.

I like an adventure novel as a break from the more serious books. This book promises to have everything, including the macabre.

His short story, The Premature Burial, takes place on a ship too. If you haven't read it, I recommend it. It turns out to be a fun read at the end.

I'm coming very late to this read, but got the book and never having read much Poe have decided to read and enjoy your commentaries as I go.

I found the adventure on the sailboat in the first chapter pretty terrifying, and was amazed that the boys still wanted to go on a sea voyage, and that Arthur was willing to stow away in such a tiny space. Quite terrifying when he loses track of time then realizes he is trapped in the dark. The sudden appearance of the dog was bizarre, particularly as a Newfoundland dog would be very large.

Strange that the mutineers decided to leave Augustus alive, perhaps his youth saved him.

I like your use of the adjectives Strange and Bizarre. They sum up the behaviour of the young men.