I am not sure if this is this place to discuss this, but I need help. I want to now if this paragraph on page 49 of Eyre Affair

'That I can agree with. The old lady's name was Mrs Grimswold; we found her wedged up the chimney in Styx's apartment. It took three men to pull her out.'

. . . is supposed to remind me of this line from 'Murders in the Rue Morgue':

'The body of Mademoiselle L'Espanaye was so firmly wedged in the chimney that it could not be got down until four or five of the party united their strength.'

. . .and if it does, then is it because Mr. Fforde wanted to place Acheron in the great tradition of the super-human criminal or because Acheron himself was a reader of Poe and wanted to give some élan to the crime that wouldn't have been there if he had stuffed her under the sink?

Or something else entirely---like maybe detective fiction is filled with bodies up the chimney and I have only encountered the one.

Well, I think you're right, given the other references to Poe in the works .... in fact I seem to recall Jasper mentioning Rue Morgue somewhere; I didn't spot it because I am not very familiar with Poe's work, myself (and judging by the fact you are the first to spot it, neither is anybody else round here).

I shall add it to the annotations ASAP. As to the reasons for the reference, both your suggestions are plausible, but I suspect it's just because jasper loves larding his text with gratuitous literary references ....

Welcome to the fforum, Stephen; let me know if you find any more Poe references I've missed.



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I am very interested in the Universe. I am specialising in the Universe and everything surrounding it. - E. L. Wisty

Yes, I do believe you are right about your theory concerning Fforde's want, to include a bit of Poe and display Acheron in the great tradition of the super-human criminal. I did sort of pick up on that, but disregarded it as just a coincidence. However, now that you mention it, it does seem that there are many Poe references throughout the book, and it would not seem out of the ordinary that Fforde would try to further the characterization of Acheron in such a way that would display him as the ultimate criminal. I am very familiar with the works of Poe, and it is quite similar to that particular paragraph in the 'Murders in the Rue Morgue'.

If you're going to be a criminal in a literary world, you might as well learn from the best. I suspect there are many more references hidden away (has anyone tried reading it backwards yet? Is there a code saying 'I, Francis Bacon, writ it alle and buggere that halfwitte Shagsper'?

Only a matter of time before the Baconians find new 'proofs', mark my words...



PSD

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This is the work of an Italian narco-anarchic collective. Don't bother insulting them, they can't read English anyway.

Oh, trust me, there are whole reams of references not yet listed. People keep telling me about them .... I hope to get the Notes updated this weekend, and then, GSD help me, there is WOLP to annotate. Ulp.



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I am very interested in the Universe. I am specialising in the Universe and everything surrounding it. - E. L. Wisty

Jon _
Do you remember that you asked me to help with annotating WOLP... and that as I work in a school I'll soon have a nice long holiday in which to do so?

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"This was willed where what is willed msudhfhgrghrhgjh."

I ain't forgotten. But I'm not going to start on WOLP until I get the published edition, so just hold your hosses there a while.



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I am very interested in the Universe. I am specialising in the Universe and everything surrounding it. - E. L. Wisty

I'm always happy to help as well if required - I did a load on TEA before I found Jon's stuff on the site. Well, before I found the site actually!

I'll help throw some odd references about, as if that'll be any use...



PSD

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This is the work of an Italian narco-anarchic collective. Don't bother insulting them, they can't read English anyway.

Ooh, Susan, have you still got the stuff you did on TEA, cos I bet you spotted some I still haven't.

All help gratefully recieved. The citizens of Power Cable, Nebraska need Notes!



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I am very interested in the Universe. I am specialising in the Universe and everything surrounding it. - E. L. Wisty

Jon - I don't think I have - it was on my old PC (which we've dumped because it died) - although I transplanted some of my stuff onto disc whilst it was still breathing, I'm not sure that TEA made it through.

I'll double check - I may have some penciled notes somewhere. I'll have a hunt and see what I can find.