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"The Purloined Letter" & The Great Gatsby

A recurring theme in American literature is the importance of the individual and of individuality, and the American character is seen as unique in that the individual is able to tap inner resources allowing a singular view of the world and enabling the individual to overcome great obstacles. However, there is a duality to the image presented of what might be called the intuitive ability of the individual in fiction. Imagination is seen in some ways as empowering, as giving the individual greater capabilities than are possessed by others. At the same time, the imagination can be seen as inducing illusion so that the individual fails to see reality. These two aspects of the American imagination can be seen in the characters of Auguste Dupin in Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Purloined Letter," in which the character uses imagination to achieve success, and in the character of Jay Gatsby in the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, in which the character is seduced by illusion.

In "The Purloined Letter," Poe creates a story of ratiocination, presenting a mystery which reason alone has been unable to solve. The usual methods of police logic have failed, and C. Auguste Dupin is asked to lend his expertise to finding the stolen letter. In the introductory scene, the Prefect of Police tells Dupin how they have already searched the rooms of the thief, Minister D---, and how the letter was not found. It is made clear that the search has been most thorough, including searching the person of the thief at home and elsewhere. The letter still has not been found.

Dupin, of course, is French and not American, but Poe most certainly is and is the one who sees the power of intuition and imagination. He explains his method to his companion, the narrator of the story, by referring to a schoolboy who could guess the number of marbles based on his ability to measure the astuteness of his opponents in a schoolyard game. Thi...

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"The Purloined Letter" & The Great Gatsby. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 06:38, March 28, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1702621.html