The Man Who Was Poe

Edmund is the 11-year-old protagonist of the novel. A “frail boy” from London, England, he spends a month living in a rented room in Providence, Rhode Island with his twin sister, whom he calls Sis, and their Aunty Pru. He is a responsible, conscientious rule-follower, often imagining what Aunty Pru would advise even after she goes missing. Edmund is frequently characterized as scared and confused—natural feelings for a child whose loved ones all disappear. The dismal, gloomy winter weather of Providence symbolizes this fear and confusion. Despite his anxiety, Edmund remains hopeful that his sister is alive, and this hope motivates him to continue searching, even when Dupin is ready to give up. 

At the beginning of the novel, he believes that adults are to be trusted completely: “Adults can be trusted to take care of children. Children must never question adults. Adults know best” (35). He aches to be an adult, thinking that would help him solve the mystery: “Grownups know what’s right [...] If only I were older and a real man!” (6). As he spends more time with Dupin, however, Edmund realizes that adults do not always have all the answers and can be very flawed themselves.