"The Purloined Letter" by Edgar Allan Poe

Throughout "The Purloined Letter," Edgar Allan Poe contrasts the intuitive, poetic deduction of Dupin with the orderly, mathematical logic of the Prefect. When Dupin's poetic logic outwits the Prefect's, Poe appears to convey a triumph of literature over mathematics. However, this apparent triumph of literary logic is underscored by parallels between Dupin and the Minister. Both are characterized by images of "doubling" and both use identical methods to steal the letter. Yet, the Minister is depicted as a villain, while Dupin is conveyed as a brilliant hero. Despite Dupin's success in discovering the letter, when Poe mirrors Dupin to the Minister, he reveals the double sides of his character and thus the multiple meanings within literature. Ultimately, Poe conveys that the true value of the purloined letter is its power to represent multiple meanings of both good and evil.…