Riassunto
Riassunto di Il problema della cella 13
A chi è rivolto
For readers who love logic puzzles, fair-play mysteries and the early days of detective fiction, and anyone who enjoys a satisfying read in one short sitting.
Che cos’è questo libro
The Problem of Cell 13 is a short detective story by Jacques Futrelle, an American writer who published it in 1905. It brings in Professor Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen, a scientist with a huge forehead and a cold manner, whom the press nicknames The Thinking Machine. He appeared in many more stories, but this is the one that made him known.
The story is built on a single bet. Van Dusen claims that a trained mind can do anything, and he agrees to prove it by breaking out of a prison cell built to hold the most dangerous men. You get a locked-room puzzle, a duel of logic against stone and iron, and a hero who treats every problem as a sum. The story runs on one question, and you will want to answer it before he does. Let us begin with the dinner table where the wager is made.
In questo riassunto
- 1A prison-escape wagerFree
- 2The rules of the challenge are set
- 3A man alone with stone and iron
- 4What the story says about thinking
Punto chiave 1 di 4
A prison-escape wager
The story opens with Professor Van Dusen, a man with many degrees and a famous reputation for logic. He is known to the public as The Thinking Machine, a name that suits his habit of reducing everything to cause and effect. Two learned friends, Dr. Charles Ransome and Albert Fielding, sit with him and argue about what a mind can achieve.
Van Dusen holds a bold position. He says that the mind is master over matter, and that no problem is truly impossible for a person who thinks clearly enough. His friends push back. They think he is boasting, and they want a test with real stakes.
Van Dusen does not hesitate. He proposes that he be locked in a prison cell, treated like any other prisoner, and that he will walk out within a week. The story begins with a simple argument and ends up as a wager that neither side can easily walk away from.
That’s 1 of 4 key points.
The rest of the summary, written and spoken, and the whole book: free to start.
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Questions about Il problema della cella 13
What is The Problem of Cell 13 about?
It is a short detective story in which Professor Van Dusen bets that he can escape from a prison cell within a week. The tale follows his attempt and the doubts of his friends and the warden.
Who is The Thinking Machine?
The Thinking Machine is the nickname of Professor Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen, a scientist famous for his cold logic. Futrelle used him as the hero of many detective stories.
When was The Problem of Cell 13 written?
Jacques Futrelle published it in 1905. It is a work of fiction, not a true story, though it reflects the early fascination with science and reasoning in detective fiction.
Is The Problem of Cell 13 hard to read?
No. It is short and clearly written, with quick scenes and plain language. The puzzle is easy to follow and works well in one sitting.
Is The Problem of Cell 13 worth reading?
Yes, if you like logic puzzles and early detective stories. It is brief, fair to the reader, and shows how the armchair thinker became a type in mystery writing.