Can anyone give me any serious suggestions? I need to write a term paper on the detectives in E. A. Poe's stories. If anyone has any ideas on a good thesis or subject to write on please let me know. You help is greatly appreciated. Thanks>

-- Anonymous, March 27, 2001

Answers

Poe's famous character Dupin (who is not a professional detective, but is the master of the field of reasoning) may very well make for the perfect figure for your paper. He appears in Poe's works The Murders in the Rue Morgue, and The Purloined Letter. In your paper you may want to discuss the use of inductive and deductive reasoning, and how Poe applies these methods. I must say that I believe this to be the best choice for the subject of your term paper. If you have any questions, as I only supplied you with a brief answer, please e- mail me at your leisure.

Respectfully,

-- Anonymous, March 27, 2001

Blake,

I fully agree with Mr. Regan's suggestion and, in particular, the typically unrecognized distiction he makes as regards to Dupin's intelltual prowess, intuition and analytical abilities together with the fact that he was not a professional detective. However, simply as an alternative, you may wish to consider a comparison of Poe's C. Auguste Dupin with that of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes.

Regards,

-- Anonymous, March 28, 2001