Topical Poe

[KristyR]

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fanuzzir wrote:
Does anyone want to take me up on my standing invitation to read "Ligeia"? There are also his message in a seafaring stories, like "Ms in a Bottle." Might be a nice contrast to Moby Dick.

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I read Ligeia when it was suggested , I think, in the short story thread. I liked it, and would definitely be interested in reading more Poe.

[fanuzzir]

Thanks Kristy! Do you have any favorites? The Black Cat still is a fascinating story, especialy for what it says about Poe's idea's of marriage.

[KristyR]

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fanuzzir wrote:
Thanks Kristy! Do you have any favorites? The Black Cat still is a fascinating story, especialy for what it says about Poe's idea's of marriage.

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I read Poe in high school, ~15 years ago now, and loved everything I read. I bought a complete works book basically to remind myself how much I enjoyed his stories and have read bits and pieces since then, always intending to read it all at some point in time. When I was reading the Dupin stories, my 10 year old son saw my book and started telling his sisters about the Raven poem he had heard in class. So we looked it up. It was great to see him so excited. Not only could he tell his sisters a spooky tale, but he could read something "grown up". He was so proud of himself!

I haven't read The Black Cat yet, that will be next. I must admit, finding out Poe's ideas about marriage is a definite draw. I can't help wondering if they will be fairly normal or very warped!

[fanuzzir]

From the evidence of his stories, he should have ever come close to a woman or to marriage. Living as a husband is a horrible stunt that make you scared for anyone around him. And yet like many bad husbands, he's full of self-knowledge and perhaps self-hate, if you judge the bizarre experiment of "William Wilson," another of my favorites.

[KristyR]

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fanuzzir wrote:
Thanks Kristy! Do you have any favorites? The Black Cat still is a fascinating story, especialy for what it says about Poe's idea's of marriage.

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I read The Black Cat. It was disturbing to say the least. What amazes me about Poe is how self-aware his characters are - at least the ones in the stories I've read so far. He delves into their thinking and reasoning so minutely, and they're just so messed up. You have to wonder how he comes up with this stuff, and how much of it has actually flitted through his own brain! He's one of those people I like reading about, but would be afraid to meet in real life! He should definitely never have been married!

[Pumpernickel]

Oh, I absolutely LOVE "The Tell-tale Heart"!!! (0__0)

I often use this short story to teach my students how to 'read between the lines' , paying attention to the repetitive elements in the story -- such as the narrator addressesing the reader, his addressing the reader in order to boast about his abilities, the numerous references to sound, etc. -- which we underline using a code of colors. It's a very interesting activity that students usually enjoy.

[swimmer53094]

Poe lived in Philadelphia from 1838-1844 and in the basement of the house is a chimney almost identical to the one he describes in "The Black Cat." I saw it and it is really creepy.

[KristyR]

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swimmer53094 wrote:
Poe lived in Philadelphia from 1838-1844 and in the basement of the house is a chimney almost identical to the one he describes in "The Black Cat." I saw it and it is really creepy.

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I didn't realize you could go visit his house, how creepy! I wonder how many things in that house and the surrounding area inspired him.

[Hollisterite666]

Hi! i'm new to to the group and could'nt help responding to your invite. My fav for the poems is the Raven, and my fav story is the tell-tale heart and the fall of the house of Usher.

Message Edited by Hollisterite666 on 04-16-200711:28 PM

Message Edited by Hollisterite666 on 04-16-200711:28 PM

[cjack16]

To me Poe's best work was the "Black Cat". The descriptive writing skills shown throughout the story are amazing.

[pmcoulter]

You can also visit the Poe house in Baltimore.

[pmcoulter]

I had the opportunity to teach Poe a couple of years ago to 10th graders in an alternative school. I had not really liked Poe when I had to read him in high school and college, but when I had to teach him I was stunned by the richness of his description and his mastery of the language.

Relative to someone's comment on marriage and wives, Poe dearly loved his little cousin-wife.

[KristyR]

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pmcoulter wrote:
I had the opportunity to teach Poe a couple of years ago to 10th graders in an alternative school. I had not really liked Poe when I had to read him in high school and college, but when I had to teach him I was stunned by the richness of his description and his mastery of the language.

Relative to someone's comment on marriage and wives, Poe dearly loved his little cousin-wife.

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He married his cousin? We were joking that he should never marry because of the end of his wife in The Black Cat, come to think of it, his second wife didn't stand much of a chance in Ligeia either!

[pmcoulter]

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KristyR wrote:

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pmcoulter wrote:
I had the opportunity to teach Poe a couple of years ago to 10th graders in an alternative school. I had not really liked Poe when I had to read him in high school and college, but when I had to teach him I was stunned by the richness of his description and his mastery of the language.

Relative to someone's comment on marriage and wives, Poe dearly loved his little cousin-wife.

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He married his cousin? We were joking that he should never marry because of the end of his wife in The Black Cat, come to think of it, his second wife didn't stand much of a chance in Ligeia either!

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Yes. Not the best site, but for a jumping off point, cf: http://www.poemuseum.org/poes_life/index.html

[hikergirl]

I have really enjoyed both "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "Fall of the House of Usher."

[KristyR]

Thanks for the link pmcoulter!

[kiakar]

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hikergirl wrote:
I have really enjoyed both "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "Fall of the House of Usher."

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I remember The tellTale Heart from years ago reading it in high school. Oh! wow! that beating heart in the floor! oh! it is still spooky as I think upon it.

[KristyR]

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pmcoulter wrote:

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KristyR wrote:

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pmcoulter wrote:
I had the opportunity to teach Poe a couple of years ago to 10th graders in an alternative school. I had not really liked Poe when I had to read him in high school and college, but when I had to teach him I was stunned by the richness of his description and his mastery of the language.

Relative to someone's comment on marriage and wives, Poe dearly loved his little cousin-wife.

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He married his cousin? We were joking that he should never marry because of the end of his wife in The Black Cat, come to think of it, his second wife didn't stand much of a chance in Ligeia either!

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Yes. Not the best site, but for a jumping off point, cf: http://www.poemuseum.org/poes_life/index.html

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Hey! You helped me get a question right on the Friday quiz in the Community Room! The question asked which American poet married his young cousin, had a drinking problem, etc. This was the first quiz out of 4 that I actually knew an answer, thanks!

[catwoman]

Hi All,

I'm really excited to find this group. I think my favorite Edgar Allen Poe story is "The Cask of Amontillado." I teach it in my Intro to Lit. course at a two-year college in PA. Everytime I read the story, I find something new. The students love the story, and many choose it as the basis for their long analysis paper. The best paper I received was from a student who argued that Montressor was a psychopath. She researched abnormal psychology books and found many traits in Montressor that pointed to this type of mental illness.

Dawn

[KristyR]

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catwoman wrote:
Hi All,

I'm really excited to find this group. I think my favorite Edgar Allen Poe story is "The Cask of Amontillado." I teach it in my Intro to Lit. course at a two-year college in PA. Everytime I read the story, I find something new. The students love the story, and many choose it as the basis for their long analysis paper. The best paper I received was from a student who argued that Montressor was a psychopath. She researched abnormal psychology books and found many traits in Montressor that pointed to this type of mental illness.

Dawn

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Hi Dawn, welcome! I think I read the Cask of Amontillado a long time ago, but I don't remember it. Thanks for the recommendation, I'll add it to my Poe list!