Excerpt

Excerpt from A princess of Mars, by Edgar Rice Burroughs

I am a very old man; how old I do not know. Possibly I am a hundred,
possibly more; but I cannot tell because I have never aged as other
men, nor do I remember any childhood. So far as I can recollect I have
always been a man, a man of about thirty. I appear today as I did forty
years and more ago, and yet I feel that I cannot go on living forever;
that some day I shall die the real death from which there is no
resurrection. I do not know why I should fear death, I who have died
twice and am still alive; but yet I have the same horror of it as you
who have never died, and it is because of this terror of death, I
believe, that I am so convinced of my mortality.

And because of this conviction I have determined to write down the
story of the interesting periods of my life and of my death. I cannot
explain the phenomena; I can only set down here in the words of an
ordinary soldier of fortune a chronicle of the strange events that
befell me during the ten years that my dead body lay undiscovered in an
Arizona cave.

I have never told this story, nor shall mortal man see this manuscript
until after I have passed over for eternity. I know that the average
human mind will not believe what it cannot grasp, and so I do not
purpose being pilloried by the public, the pulpit, and the press, and
held up as a colossal liar when I am but telling the simple truths
which some day science will substantiate. Possibly the suggestions
which I gained upon Mars, and the knowledge which I can set down in
this chronicle, will aid in an earlier understanding of the mysteries
of our sister planet; mysteries to you, but no longer mysteries to me.

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Explanation

Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs

1. Context of the Source

A Princess of Mars (1912) is the first novel in Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Barsoom series, a foundational work of planetary romance—a subgenre of science fiction that blends adventure, sword-and-planet action, and speculative interplanetary travel. The novel follows John Carter, a Confederate veteran of the American Civil War who mysteriously transports to Mars (called "Barsoom" by its inhabitants) and becomes embroiled in its political and martial conflicts.

Burroughs, best known for creating Tarzan, wrote A Princess of Mars during a period when pulp fiction was flourishing, and scientific curiosity about Mars was high (inspired by astronomers like Percival Lowell, who theorized about Martian canals). The novel reflects early 20th-century fascinations with exploration, masculinity, and the unknown, as well as Social Darwinist and colonialist undertones (Carter, a Southern gentleman-soldier, often "civilizes" or dominates the Martian world).

This excerpt serves as the prologue, framing the narrative as a posthumous confession—a device that lends credibility to an otherwise fantastical tale.

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2. Themes in the Excerpt

The passage introduces several key themes that permeate the novel and Burroughs’ broader work:

• Immortal Longing and Mortal Fear The narrator (John Carter) presents a paradox: he is ageless yet afraid of death, having "died twice" but still dreading the "real death." This sets up a tragic irony—despite his apparent immortality, he is haunted by the inevitability of mortality. His fear suggests that death is not just physical but existential, tied to identity and memory.

• The Unreliable yet Compelling Narrator Carter admits his story is incredible ("the average human mind will not believe what it cannot grasp") but insists on its truth. This meta-commentary on disbelief mirrors pulp fiction’s struggle for legitimacy—Burroughs anticipates skepticism and frames the tale as a future-proof prophecy ("some day science will substantiate" his claims). The prologue thus challenges the reader to suspend disbelief.

• Science vs. Superstition The narrator contrasts empirical knowledge ("science will substantiate") with mythic experience (his "deaths"). This tension reflects the early 20th-century clash between tradition and modernity, where scientific progress (e.g., astronomy, psychology) was redefining human limits. Carter’s story bridges adventure romance and proto-science fiction.

• Colonialism and the "Other" Though not explicit here, the prologue hints at Carter’s role as a Earthly interloper on Mars. His claim to have solved Mars’ "mysteries" (which are "no longer mysteries to me") positions him as a conqueror of knowledge, a trope that aligns with imperialist narratives of exploration and domination.

• Fate and Agency Carter’s passive phrasing ("the strange events that befell me") suggests he is both actor and victim—a man of action (a "soldier of fortune") yet subject to forces beyond his control (his mysterious immortality, his transportation to Mars). This duality drives the novel’s adventure plot.

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3. Literary Devices and Stylistic Choices

Burroughs employs several techniques to hook the reader and establish tone:

• First-Person Confessional Frame The prologue is written as a posthumous manuscript, a device that:

  • Creates immediacy and intimacy (the narrator speaks directly to the reader).
  • Adds verisimilitude—by claiming the story will only be read after his death, Carter avoids contemporary ridicule.
  • Invokes Gothic tradition (e.g., The Castle of Otranto’s found manuscripts), where truth is revealed through hidden texts.

• Paradox and Juxtaposition

  • "I have never aged as other men, nor do I remember any childhood." → Suggests unnatural existence, blending myth (eternal youth) with psychological mystery (missing memories).
  • "I have died twice and am still alive." → A logical contradiction that intrigues the reader, hinting at reincarnation, astral projection, or sci-fi resurrection.

• Foreshadowing

  • The mention of his body lying "undiscovered in an Arizona cave" hints at physical death vs. spiritual/astral travel (a key plot point: Carter’s soul projects to Mars while his body remains on Earth).
  • "The interesting periods of my life and of my death" suggests cyclical narratives of rebirth, a theme in later Barsoom books.

• Appeal to Authority Carter positions himself as a reluctant truth-teller, not a fabulist:

  • "I am but telling the simple truths."
  • "Science will substantiate." This preemptive defense against skepticism is a hallmark of pseudo-scientific pulp fiction (e.g., H.P. Lovecraft’s "mad narrators").

• Repetition for Emphasis

  • "Possibly I am a hundred, possibly more."
  • "I do not know why I should fear death, I who have died twice..." → The anaphora (repetition at the start of clauses) creates a hypnotic, incantatory rhythm, reinforcing the narrator’s obsession with time and death.

• Irony

  • A man who cannot die fears death more than mortals.
  • A soldier of fortune (a man of action) is defined by passive, inexplicable experiences (his agelessness, his "deaths").

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4. Significance of the Passage

This prologue serves multiple purposes:

• Genre-Blending Introduction It merges adventure, science fiction, and Gothic horror, signaling that A Princess of Mars will defy easy categorization. The focus on death and resurrection aligns with mythic archetypes (e.g., Osiris, Christ) while grounding the tale in pseudo-scientific speculation.

• Characterization of John Carter Carter is established as:

  • A lonely, immortal figure (like The Wandering Jew or Dracula).
  • A man of action ("soldier of fortune") yet introspective.
  • A bridge between worlds (Earth/Mars, life/death, science/mysticism).

• Reader Engagement The prologue challenges the reader to decide: Is Carter a madman, a liar, or a visionary? This ambiguity drives the narrative’s appeal.

• Cultural Reflection The passage reflects early 20th-century anxieties about:

  • Scientific progress (Will science explain the unexplainable?).
  • Mortality (Post-WWI, death was a pervasive concern).
  • Exploration (Mars as the next frontier, much like the American West).

• Legacy in Science Fiction Burroughs’ framing device influenced later works, from H.P. Lovecraft’s "mad narrators" to modern "unreliable narrator" sci-fi (e.g., Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer). The posthumous manuscript trope became a staple in weird fiction and cosmic horror.

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5. Line-by-Line Analysis of Key Sections

• "I am a very old man; how old I do not know." → Immediate mystery. The narrator’s age is unknowable, suggesting he is outside normal human experience.

• "I have never aged as other men, nor do I remember any childhood." → Implies supernatural origin (is he an alien? A god? Cursed?). The lack of childhood memories erases his past, making him a tabula rasa hero—defined by action, not history.

• "I have died twice and am still alive." → Introduces the central premise: Carter’s dual existence (Earth/Mars). The "two deaths" likely refer to:

  1. His physical death (body in the cave).
  2. His symbolic death (rebirth on Mars as a warrior).

• "I do not know why I should fear death... and yet I have the same horror of it as you." → Universalizes his fear—despite his unique condition, he shares humanity’s primal dread. This makes him relatable.

• "I have determined to write down the story... until after I have passed over for eternity." → The posthumous reveal creates urgency and secrecy, as if the truth is too dangerous for the living.

• "I know that the average human mind will not believe what it cannot grasp." → Direct address to the reader, anticipating skepticism. This is metafictional—Burroughs acknowledges the story’s implausibility but dares the reader to engage.

• "Mysteries to you, but no longer mysteries to me." → Positions Carter as a chosen one, privy to hidden knowledge—a classic hero’s trait (e.g., Odysseus, Gilgamesh).

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Conclusion: Why This Excerpt Matters

This prologue is a masterclass in hooking a reader while laying the groundwork for a mythic, action-packed sci-fi adventure. It:

1. Establishes an enigmatic narrator whose immortality and fear of death create instant intrigue.
2. Blends genres (Gothic, adventure, early sci-fi) to appeal to a broad audience.
3. Challenges the reader’s disbelief by framing the tale as a posthumous truth.
4. Introduces core themes—mortality, exploration, the tension between science and mystery—that define the Barsoom series.

Burroughs’ prose is not literary in the highbrow sense, but its pulp energy, directness, and imaginative boldness made it immensely influential. The excerpt’s power lies in its ability to make the impossible feel urgent and personal—a hallmark of great speculative fiction.

Would you like a deeper dive into any specific aspect, such as the colonialist undertones or comparisons to other "immortal narrator" stories?

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Questions

Question 1

The narrator’s assertion that “I have died twice and am still alive” serves primarily to:

A. establish his credibility as a witness to events beyond human experience.
B. underscore the scientific plausibility of his claims through empirical repetition.
C. position himself as a martyr to the skepticism of contemporary society.
D. create a paradox that destabilizes the reader’s assumptions about life, death, and narrative reliability.
E. foreshadow a literal resurrection narrative akin to religious allegory.

Question 2

The phrase “the average human mind will not believe what it cannot grasp” is most effectively interpreted as:

A. a condemnation of the intellectual limitations of the narrator’s contemporaries.
B. an acknowledgment of the inherent irrationality of human cognitive processes.
C. a preemptive rhetorical strategy to frame disbelief as a failure of imagination rather than truth.
D. a literal prediction of the scientific community’s eventual validation of his claims.
E. an expression of the narrator’s elitism in possessing knowledge inaccessible to others.

Question 3

The narrator’s claim that “some day science will substantiate” his story is best understood as an example of:

A. an appeal to authority to compensate for the lack of empirical evidence.
B. a concession to the dominance of positivist thought in early 20th-century discourse.
C. a deliberate ambiguity to allow readers to project their own interpretations onto the text.
D. an ironic undermining of scientific method by invoking it to validate the supernatural.
E. a narrative device that exploits the cultural tension between mysticism and emerging scientific paradigms.

Question 4

The repetition of “possibly” in “Possibly I am a hundred, possibly more” primarily functions to:

A. mimic the uncertain, fragmented nature of the narrator’s own self-perception.
B. emphasize the mathematical precision of his longevity despite his admitted ignorance.
C. signal to the reader that his age is ultimately irrelevant to the story’s central concerns.
D. create a rhythmic cadence that reinforces the hypnotic, incantatory tone of the passage.
E. underscore the narrator’s reliance on probabilistic reasoning over concrete fact.

Question 5

The prologue’s framing of the narrative as a posthumous manuscript is most strategically used to:

A. absolve the narrator of responsibility for the story’s more implausible elements.
B. align the text with Gothic literary traditions, thereby elevating its cultural prestige.
C. exploit the reader’s curiosity by positioning the truth as something forbidden or dangerous.
D. suggest that the narrator’s immortality is a literal condition rather than a metaphorical one.
E. critique the publishing industry’s tendency to suppress unconventional or radical ideas.

Solutions and Explanations

1) Correct answer: D

Why D is most correct: The narrator’s statement creates a logical and existential paradox—death is conventionally understood as final, yet he claims to have experienced it twice while remaining alive. This destabilizes the reader’s assumptions not only about the boundaries of life and death but also about the reliability of the narrative voice. The line forces the reader to question whether the narrator is literal, metaphorical, delusional, or something else entirely, which is central to the passage’s unsettling tone. The paradox also mirrors the broader thematic tension between empirical reality and the narrator’s subjective experience, a hallmark of both Gothic and early sci-fi traditions.

Why the distractors are less supported:

• A: The line does not establish credibility; if anything, it undermines it by introducing an impossible claim. The narrator’s credibility is problematic, not reinforced.
• B: There is no empirical repetition here—only a singular, contradictory assertion. The passage does not attempt scientific plausibility.
• C: While the narrator anticipates skepticism, he does not frame himself as a martyr (which implies suffering for a cause). His tone is defiant, not sacrificial.
• E: The statement is not a foreshadowing of religious allegory (e.g., Christ’s resurrection). The narrator’s “deaths” are secular and unexplained, tied to sci-fi tropes (astral projection, suspended animation) rather than divine intervention.

2) Correct answer: C

Why C is most correct: The line is a rhetorical maneuver that shifts the burden of disbelief onto the reader. By framing skepticism as a limitation of the "average human mind," the narrator preemptively dismisses criticism not as a failure of his story’s truth but as a failure of the audience’s imaginative capacity. This is a classic pulp fiction strategy—it dares the reader to engage while insulating the narrative from scrutiny. The phrase also exploits the cultural anxiety of the early 20th century, where rapid scientific advancement made the boundaries of knowledge feel fluid and contested.

Why the distractors are less supported:

• A: The narrator does not condemn his contemporaries; he pities their limitations but does not moralize. His tone is defensive, not judgmental.
• B: The line is not about inherent irrationality but about the gap between experience and comprehension. The narrator implies his story is rational to him but incomprehensible to others.
• D: The narrator does not predict scientific validation here—he asserts it as a future certainty to bolster his claim, but the phrase in question is about current disbelief, not future proof.
• E: While there is a hint of elitism, the primary function is rhetorical strategy, not self-aggrandizement. The narrator is not flaunting superiority; he is deflecting skepticism.

3) Correct answer: E

Why E is most correct: The appeal to future scientific validation is a deliberate exploitation of a cultural tension—the early 1900s saw rapid scientific progress (e.g., relativity, quantum theory, Martian canal debates) alongside persistent mysticism (spiritualism, theosophy). The narrator leverages this tension to make his fantastical claims feel plausibly prophetic. The line does not commit to pure science or pure mysticism but straddles both, allowing readers to interpret the story as either proto-sci-fi or mythic adventure. This duality is key to the passage’s psychological pull.

Why the distractors are less supported:

• A: The narrator is not compensating for lack of evidence—he is embracing the lack of evidence as part of the story’s mystique. The appeal to science is aspirational, not compensatory.
• B: There is no concession to positivism. The narrator co-opts scientific authority but does not submit to it; his claims remain unverifiable.
• C: The line is not deliberately ambiguous—it is strategically vague. The narrator wants readers to suspect his story could be true, not to project their own meanings.
• D: While there is irony in using science to validate the supernatural, the primary effect is not undermining science but exploiting its cultural cachet to lend credibility to the tale.

4) Correct answer: A

Why A is most correct: The repetition of “possibly” mirrors the narrator’s own uncertainty about his identity and origins. The lack of childhood memories and his unaging body suggest a fragmented, unstable self-perception. The word choice enacts this instability—he cannot even assert his age with confidence, reinforcing the idea that he is detached from normal human temporality. This linguistic hesitation aligns with the passage’s broader themes of displacement and existential liminality.

Why the distractors are less supported:

• B: The repetition does not emphasize precision—it does the opposite, highlighting imprecision. The narrator admits he does not know.
• C: The age is not irrelevant; it is central to his mystery. The uncertainty about his age underscores his otherness.
• D: While there is a rhythmic effect, the primary function is psychological, not stylistic. The cadence serves the content, not the other way around.
• E: The narrator is not engaging in probabilistic reasoning—he is expressing ignorance. “Possibly” here signals unknowns, not calculated odds.

5) Correct answer: C

Why C is most correct: The posthumous manuscript trope is a narrative strategy to exploit curiosity by framing the truth as something hidden or dangerous. By claiming the story will only be read after his death, the narrator:

1. Creates a sense of forbidden knowledge (like a sealed letter or a Gothic manuscript).
2. Absolves himself from contemporary ridicule—he won’t be around to face skepticism.
3. Makes the reader feel like a confidant, as if they are privy to a secret. This psychological manipulation is far more compelling than mere plot convenience—it turns disbelief into a feature, not a bug, by making the story feel urgent and transgressive.

Why the distractors are less supported:

• A: The narrator does not absolve himself of responsibility—he embraces it by insisting on the truth of his claims. The posthumous frame is about control, not evasion.
• B: While the device aligns with Gothic traditions, the primary goal is not cultural prestige but reader engagement.
• D: The frame does not prove his immortality is literal—it reinforces the mystery. The narrator could be metaphorically “immortal” (living on through his story) without being literally undying.
• E: There is no critique of the publishing industry. The narrator’s concern is personal credibility, not systemic suppression.