While many authors have the power to make us stand
up and take notice, few have the ability to make us quiver with
excitement quite like Edgar Allan Poe. Poe manipulates the mind as
he taps into the intimate fears that reside deep inside of all of us.
His themes return to images of the dark and horrific as he teeters
between the sane and the insane.
I have always found Poe horrific because his stories remind me of my own
intimate fears -- being buried alive, losing my mind, etc. -- and he
returns to those themes over and over again.
You probably read "The Tell-Tale Heart" in middle school. That was
the story about the man who buried his victim in his floor but was
caught in a typical Poe twist. You might have read "Annabel Lee" that year, too. I
hope to teach you "The Raven," "The Cask of Amontillado," "The Fall of
the House of Usher," or "The Black Cat." It will depend on which
stories you haven't read before, of course, but those are my favorites.
"The Raven" is probably his most famous poem. Did you know:
The Baltimore Ravens are named in Poe's honor?
Many people think that Edgar Allan Poe led a tortured, terrible life;
however, the research I've done seems to contradict that rumor. In
fact, it seems that Poe even had a great sense of humor in spite of the
problems he faced. We'll talk about this in class, and I'll show
you a clip of a biography that I have from the Biography Channel.
I think you'll be surprised about what you'll learn.
You're going to want to know more about Edgar Allan Poe, so here are some
links for you. Ask if you
have any questions!
