In other words, the narrator is a mediator between Dupin and the reader.
In his argument with Dupin about mathematicians, the narrator takes the common view and attitude toward mathematicians, a position that Dupin explicitly suggests is idiocy. Thus, his assumptions and his interjections are often erroneous he assumes, for example, that if the police have not been able to find the letter after their search, then it must be elsewhere. He seems to be a rather ordinary person with rather ordinary views and ideas. Though he shares some of Dupin's tastes - silent contemplation in darkness, for example - and has some understanding of Dupin's methods, he seems psychologically closer to G - than to Dupin. The personality of the unnamed narrator, the Dupin-chronicler, lies between these two extremes. Though Dupin says that the Paris police are excellent within their limitations, it is clear that G - 's limitations are quite severe. G - believes in a great deal of physical activity during an investigation, while Dupin believes in a maximum of thought and a minimum of physical exertion. Anything G - does not understand is "odd" and not worth considering for Dupin, that is a matter for investigation. Dupin considers things broadly, while G - 's point of view is extremely narrow. Whereas Dupin is primarily concerned with the psychological elements of the case, G - is almost wholly concerned with physical details and evidence. The Prefect, Monsieur G -, is a contrast to Dupin. And, of course, he is an expert in the psychology of people of various types indeed, he seems to be learned in a number of areas - mathematics and poetry, for example. He talks little an hour or more of contemplative silence seems common. He prefers to gather his information and to ponder thoroughly before any action is taken. He prefers the darkness and the evening darkness, he feels, is particularly conducive to reflection. He seems to be a very private person, though one with connections and acquaintances in many places. His solution introduces into detective fiction the formula of "the most obvious place."ĭupin is, of course, the original eccentric but brilliant detective.
Having duplicated the letter, he exchanged his facsimile for the original during a prearranged diversion. He memorized the appearance of the letter, and he left a snuffbox as an excuse to return. Using this theory, Dupin visited Minister D - and found the letter in plain sight but boldly disguised. With this in mind, Dupin tried to reconstruct the Minister's thinking, deciding that he would very likely have hidden the letter in plain sight. Then, he reviewed what he knew about the case. Before he did anything else, he reviewed everything he knew about Minister D. Beyond that, Dupin introduces the method of psychological deduction. One of his basic assumptions is an inversion of one of the aphorisms that was introduced in "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" the case is so difficult to solve because it appears to be so simple. The second half of "The Purloined Letter" consists of Dupin's explanation, to his chronicler, of how he obtained the letter. Dupin invites him to write the check when this is done, Dupin hands the Prefect the letter without any further comment. This time, he says that he will pay fifty thousand francs to anyone who can obtain the letter for him. A month later, Monsieur G - returns, having found nothing. Dupin's advice is that they thoroughly re-search the house. The Prefect has searched Minister D - 's home thoroughly, even taking the furniture apart he and his men have found nothing. The problem is to retrieve the letter, since the writer and the victim, as well as Minister D -, have important posts in the government the demands he is making are becoming dangerous politically. The thief is known (Minister D - ) and the method is known (substitution viewed by the victim, who dared not protest). In the first part, Monsieur G -, Prefect of Police in Paris, visits Dupin with a problem: A letter has been stolen and is being used to blackmail the person from whom it was stolen. "The Purloined Letter" emphasizes several devices from "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" and adds several others. Finally, more than with most of his stories, this one is told with utmost economy. This is partially due to the fact that there are no gothic elements, such as the gruesome descriptions of dead bodies, as there was in "The Murders in the Rue Morgue." But more important, this is the story that employs most effectively the principle of ratiocination this story brilliantly illustrates the concept of the intuitive intellect at work as it solves a problem logically. Of all of Poe's stories of ratiocination (or detective stories), "The Purloined Letter" is considered his finest.
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