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2.86 AVERAGE
2.86 AVERAGE
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reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A dialogue between two spirits about the end of the world. Vaguely interesting from a historical point of view but not one of Poe's best short stories.
In the 1830s there had been sightings of numerous comets, including Halley's, Encke's, Lexell's and Biela's. There was genuine fear among the North American population that this might cause the end of the world. In fact, apocalyptic tales of Scripture had often been associated with cosmic impacts.
I was intrigued by how, in the story, the scientific and the religious perspective on the approaching comet (quite symbolically) compete against each other. The self-acclaimed sober mind observes the phenomenon and ascribes "historical attributes" to the celestial body; it's able to convince the masses to take an equally distancing attitude. But the more it manifests itself in the firmament, the more the people are under the spell and terror of impending doom just as preached by clergymen.
Maybe it's no coincidence that death itself plays a crucial role within the story. In the framing narrative, a person now called Eiros is identified as a victim of the apocalypse. Not only was this a pretty cool plug for the tale, it might suggest to us that the comet can be perceived as impending death. No matter what the intrepid philosophers of your day might say, the closer you get to the end, the more the passions and fears might win over reason.
As an amusing embellishment, it's said that the people face their death elated, later explained by reference to the increasing dominance of pure oxygen in the atmosphere. Actually, that too is similar to how many people spend their final hours.
I was intrigued by how, in the story, the scientific and the religious perspective on the approaching comet (quite symbolically) compete against each other. The self-acclaimed sober mind observes the phenomenon and ascribes "historical attributes" to the celestial body; it's able to convince the masses to take an equally distancing attitude. But the more it manifests itself in the firmament, the more the people are under the spell and terror of impending doom just as preached by clergymen.
Maybe it's no coincidence that death itself plays a crucial role within the story. In the framing narrative, a person now called Eiros is identified as a victim of the apocalypse. Not only was this a pretty cool plug for the tale, it might suggest to us that the comet can be perceived as impending death. No matter what the intrepid philosophers of your day might say, the closer you get to the end, the more the passions and fears might win over reason.
As an amusing embellishment, it's said that the people face their death elated, later explained by reference to the increasing dominance of pure oxygen in the atmosphere. Actually, that too is similar to how many people spend their final hours.
Another dialogue. This one seems to begin where that of Monos and Una ended, as a discussion of death and eternity, but quickly becomes a detailed description of the apocalypse in the form of a meteor colliding with the Earth's atmosphere. Well done if far from profound.
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
fast-paced
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A