The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe - Chapter 21

Study guide for Adult / College

Preview

Discussion Questions

Narration Prompt

Summarize the chapter's arc, then identify the central tension Poe develops. What in the chapter makes that tension feel important, and does Poe handle it honestly and effectively?

Discussion Questions

  1. Pym claims live burial inspires a horror beyond any other, yet he and Peters have already survived shipwreck, starvation, and worse across the voyage. Does this chapter's ordeal truly surpass those earlier terrors, or is Pym overstating? Use the details of his reflection here and what you recall of his earlier suffering to defend why you find his ranking convincing or overstated.
  2. Pym overrides Peters's plan to fire the pistols on a suspicion he admits is only 'half' formed, and the choice proves decisive. What does the chapter suggest about why acting on intuition that outruns its evidence can be wise or reckless? Use the details of the episode and its outcome to defend your view.

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Critical Thinking

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