The Narrative Of Arthur Gordon Essays - Literature, Fiction

The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket Narrarator : The setting is in the Pacific Ocean somewhere along Costa Rica. Where Pym, Augustus, Parker, and Dirk Peters are on a ship called the "Grampus." The ship has lost all of its sails due to the high winds and thunder storms and is basically floating wherever the wind and the waves take it. The rest of the crew has killed each other off when they attempted to mutany the ship. They have been without food for about 5 days and have been living off rainwater they catch in their clothes. The ship is filled with water so they cant travel below deck to get any food from the store room and they are all very weak and are despretely looking for a new source of food to keep them alive until a ship should stumble across them and pick them up. Peters : Maybe one of us could swim below the deck and get to the store room and find some fresh water and some food. Pym : But you would have to feel your way to the store room because you couldn't see in this salty water. Hey Augustus don't you know your way to the store room well? Augustus : Yea. Tie this rope around my waist so i can have something to follow back if I cant find my way. Parker : Ok. If you need help just pull on the rope and we will pull you up. Augustus : Ok here I go...................................I think I found it but the door was locked, hand me that axe over there and I will take that down with me and maybe I could break down the door.....................................well I got into the room but all I could find was broken glass. I think everything was broken when the ship was rocking back and forth during the storm. Parker : Oh great so what do we do now sit here and wait to die. WAIT!!! I have an idea maybe one of us should die in order to keep the others alive. Pym : You mean cannabilism? Parker : Yea Pym : NO WAY!!! Peters : Acually I dont think we really have a choice. Either we do that or we die. Augustus : Yea I agree with Peters and Parker I dont think we have a choice. Pym : Ok, fine but who is going to be the one to sacrifice there self and to get eaten by the others? Parker : Well I say we draw straws. I am going to take these splinters of wood and have three long pieces and one short piece. Is that fair with everyone? Pym : Yea i guess Peters : Yea Augustus : Yea Parker : Ok, Peters you draw first. Peters : Ok, here I go................YES!!! A LONG PIECE!!! Parker : Ok, Augustus your turn. Augustus : Ok, ......................A LONG PIECE!!! Parker : Well it looks like its down to me and you Pym do you want to draw or do you want me to draw? Pym : I guess I'll draw. I cant look............................... Narrarator : To find out if Pym gets the short straw and gets eaten by the others or if he gets the long straw and manages to survive one more day read The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket.