Pym Mat Johnson Sparknotes

A novel mat johnson spiegel and grau trade paper new york 2012 reading notes and discussion questions zubeda jalalzai and anita duneer preface return to the us after the extraordinary series of adventures in the south seas 3.

Pym mat johnson sparknotes. Inspired by edgar allen poe s the narrative of arthur gordon pym of nantucket pym s protagonist is a recently dismissed professor. The novel was written over a period of nine years and has been well received by critics who have praised its lighthearted and. If we can identify how the pathology of whiteness was constructed the narrator chris jaynes proposes early in pym mat johnson s relentlessly entertaining new novel then we. Pym is about a black man s search for the root of racism as demonstrated by his obsession with edgar allen poe.

After being denied tenure for expanding his teaching of race and literary history beyond exclusively african american texts chris jaynes the protagonist of mat johnson s novel pym 2011 sets out to retrace the voyage from edgar allan poe s 1838 novel the narrative of arthur gordon pym of nantucket. Pym is the third novel by american author mat johnson published on march 1 2011 a satirical fantasy inspired by the narrative of arthur gordon pym of nantucket edgar allan poe s only novel the book explores racial politics and identity in america and antarctica. Mat johnson writes with all the probing intelligence of james baldwin the scalding satire of dany laferriere and the technique of a master craftsman all of which make him one of the most exciting important and gifted writers of his generation. Edgar allen poe has inspired many authors but mat johnson has the inspired audacity to both honor and discredit the man often in the same sentence.

This essay examines how johnson uses jaynes own shipwreck he and his crew are. Poe s novel was a master text of anxious. The social satire within the pages of mat johnson s latest offering pym is nothing short of brilliant and extremely hilarious i found it to be a seriously and literally laugh out loud funny novel. Gentlemen from richmond virginia1 including mat johnson assistant professor of language and.

Pym incognegro loving day. Mat johnson born august 19 1970 in philadelphia pennsylvania is an american fiction writer who works in both prose and the comics format. Pym is a moving and accomplished novel. Pym by mat johnson tells the story of a black professor of african american literature named chris jaynes who in the wake of discovering a mysterious manuscript embarks on a journey to antarctica to prove that an unfinished novel by edgar allen poe the narrative of arthur gordon.