Arthur Gordon Pym Narrative

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Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym” abruptly ends in the middle of the story. Poe’s intent in doing this may have been a way to make the story seem realistic. Pym’s narration of the story, especially during the preface, makes it seem like this could have really happened. In the preface, Pym states that “the public were still not at all disposed to receive it as fable” when his editor, Poe, printed some of his narration earlier. At the end of the book with the note from Poe, the public is already aware of Pym’s “sudden and distressing death.” (384) The story was almost over, only two or three more chapters before the ending but we’re told that the editor Poe declined to offer to finish the narration because of “his disbelief

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