The+Narrative+of+Arthur+Gordon+Pym+-+Edgar+Allen+Poe

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==== Early on in, “The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym” Poe introduces the reader to the idea of escape with Pym’s close friend Augustus Barnard. After hearing Augustus’ wild tales, Pym is left yearning for adventure. ====

==== · // “ …[Augustus] would be sure to keep me awake until almost light, telling me stories of the natives of the Island of Tinian, and other places he had visited in his travels. At last I could not help being interested in what he said, and by degrees I felt the greatest desire to go to sea.” (Chapter 1) //====

==== Here we begin to see Pym’s sensation seeking side. In “Prediction of Self-Projection, Fantasy Fulfillment, and Escapism.” Elizabeth C. Hirschman says that sensory sensation, “refers to tendencies to acquire sensory stimulation, even at the risk of engaging in potentially dangerous activities.” (68) Without the slightest idea about all the responsibilities that would come with traveling, Pym yearns to step outside his realm of comfort in order to achieve an adrenaline rush. ====

==== Pym’s first attempt at escape is executed after a late night of drinking. The boys drunkenly venture out on a stormy night to take Pym's sail boat, the //Ariel//, out for a joy ride. Pym trusts Augustus so wholly that he overlooks Augustus’ intoxication. Pym is already looking to escape reality early on in the book by disregarding the amount of alcohol the two boys have consumed. Once out on the water, Pym slowly realizes how unqualified he and his friend are to man a ship in such conditions. Pym quickly returns to reality when the Ariel capsizes after being struck by another ship, the //Penguin//. After the failed attempt at escape, Pym and Augustus decide to keep their adventure a secret from their parents. This is where we see Pym’s first rejection of authority figures. ====

==== Even after Pym’s foolish encounter with danger, he is still inspired by Augustus’ tall tales and aches to engage in his own exploration. Upon hearing of a whaling ship being prepared for a voyage by Augustus’ father (the //Grampus//), Pym is given the perfect opportunity to experience the odyssey he has been dreaming of. In another attempt at escape, Pym sets sail as a stowaway on the //Grampus// until it is too far out to sea to turn around. While on his way to escape (which is being kept a secret from his parents,) Pym runs into his grandfather. His grandfather immediately recognizes him and asks him why he is wearing such a dirty coat. Pym denies his identity and tricks his grandfather into believing he is someone else. The old man hobbles off in a rage muttering about needing new glasses whilst Pym basks in the glory of his trickery. Here again, we see Pym rejecting authority. ====

==== Nowhere in the story does Pym give any indication that he is from an abusive home. In fact, he rarely talks about his parents other than references to tricking them. Unlike the characters in the other stories, Pym’s escape is not out of fear or guilt. It appears that Pym simply finds his family mundane. This is where we return to the idea of sensation seeking. Marvin Zuckerman says that, "Risk-taking i s not the main point of sensation-seeking behavior; it is merely the price such people pay for certain kinds of activities that satisfy their need for novelty, change and excitement." Pym seeks change in his life, and this is something that his family cannot provide for him. ====

Pym takes on this sensationalism throughout the entire story. When describing the takeover of the //Grampus// from the mutineers, Pym describes one of the men's reaction to his ghost costume:

" The mate sprang up from the mattress on which he was lying, and, without uttering a syllable, fell back, stone dead, upon the cabin floor, and was hurled to the leeward like a log by a heavy roll of the brig." (Chapter 8)

It is very unlikely that a man died upon seeing Pym, he is obviously exaggerating. There is no doubt that this is a part of Arthur Gordon Pym's obsessive sensationalism and escape from reality.

//The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym// ends adruptly; it leaves much to be determined by the readers imagination. The narrative ends with the appearance of a white figure. There are many different theories about this figure, and it is no surprise that Pym would end this story with such mystery. Pym and Augustus may have traveled up to Antartica and the white figure was someone coming to their rescue. Pym may have died at this point and be on his way to heaven, although it is questionable that Pym would be let into heaven. It seems that if he were dying he'd be seeing flames for all of the bloodshed and pain he has caused on his quest for commotion. Maybe the final chapters of the book were destroyed. It's possible that he was saved by Europeans colonizing the wilderness. Arthur Gordon Pym successfully escaped any type of normality. Whether it was exaggerated or not, the wild rumpus portrayed in this story was certainly an escape from humdrum.

WORKS CITED:

Hirschman, Elizabeth C. "PREDICTORS OF SELF-PROJECTION, FANTASY FULFILLMENT, AND ESCAPISM." //Journal of Social Psychology // 120.1 (1983): 63. //Academic Search Complete //. EBSCO. Web. 29 Apr. 2011.   Zuckerman, Marvin. "Are You a Risk Taker? | Psychology Today." // Psychology Today: Health, Help, Happiness Find a Therapist //. 11 July 2007. Web. 29 Apr. 2011. .

Jordan Hester