1. Edgar Allan Poe http://www.poestories.com/view.php?photo=42bf361288f88

2. Poe’s Upbringing Orphaned at an early age, Poe was taken in by a prosperous merchant and his wife. He was very well educated, yet taunted because he was considered low class. A gambler and an alcoholic already in his first year of college, his father pulled him out of school although he had excellent grades. Poe then moved to Boston. After his first self-published book of poems failed, he enlisted in the military. http://www.poestories.com/view.php?photo=42bf361288f88

3. Poe’s Adult Life Enrolled in West Point, but was discharged for gambling and drinking. He then published another book of poetry in NY, but that also flopped. At 26, he married his first cousin who was 13 years old. Apparently, she was not very smart. http://www.poestories.com/view.php?photo=42bf361288f88

4. Poe’s End After 12 years of marriage, Poe’s wife died. They never had any children. Poe jumped from job to job, but was often fired for drunkenness. Two year after his wife’s death, Poe died from unknown causes. Most think alcohol was his ultimate demise, others suggest rabies or tuberculosis. http://www.poestories.com/view.php?photo=42bf361288f88

5. Poe’s Writings: “Philosophy of Composition” 1. The Single Effect: Get the reader to feel something; just 1 focus. 2.Length: Should be read in 1 sitting as to feel the effect; it would be lost in more than 1 sitting. 3. Contemplation of Beauty: should leave an impression on the reader. 4. Melancholy Tone: Should be sad to evoke emotion. 5. Subject: death and beauty (usually death of a beautiful woman) http://www.poestories.com/view.php?photo=42bf361288f88

6. Poe’s Story Layouts and Style: Element :Detective StoriesHorror Language :Unemotional and Rational Emotional, Shrill Plot:Action in the 1 st partBuilds to a climax www.poestories.com/view.php?photo=42bf361288f88

7. Poe’s last known image... Poe died at just 40 years old. He was found alive, but incoherent on a street in Baltimore. http://www.poestories.com/view.php?photo=42bf361288f88

8. Poe’s Genre: AMERICAN GOTHIC SETTINGS: Graveyards, fields, ancestral mansions, castles, cathedral; dark, grey, white, isolated and abandoned. CONCEPTS: Entrapment, loneliness, oppression, suppression, repression, madness, paranoia, obsession, depression, fear, revenge CHARACTER: Mental/physical decay, supernatural or unseen Evil, older gentleman Heroine: governess, young, brave, curious Narrator: unreliable, claims of truth, doesn’t have full story

9. Poe’s Genre: AMERICAN GOTHIC continued… Plot: Unpredictable, twist, incest is common, past, fear of being buried alive, religion, supernatural or animated portraits, the unknown Hooks, hyperbole, visceral (intuitive) responses, suspense, claims of truth, family secrets, guilt http://cai.ucdavis.edu/waters-sites/gothicnovel/155breport.html#pictures