Edgar Allan PoeThe original Dexter

His Life

Edgar’s parents died when he was very young.

◦He never forgot the image of his mother throwing up blood and being carried away by men in dark clothing.

Poor Edgar lost every woman he ever loved.

B. He was addicted to cocaine and opium.

(So were a lot of his characters)

C. Sad, lonely Edgar died alone: found passed out in a bar in Baltimore.

Literary Career

He was not a great success during his lifetime.

(most great artists/authors are not appreciated in their time)◦Who do you think will come from your generation?

B. Women characters were modeled after his mother; they tend to be very beautiful and they usually die.

Critics praise his…

Exploration of altered mental states

Use of sound effectsStorytellingVivid Imagination

Poe believed, deep down, in the darkest, most secret places in our hearts, if we though we could get away with it, we would all do very bad things.

What do you think?

He is known as the father of the American short story.

His tales are full of:

Irrational fears, which lead his characters to insanity or death.

Sadism, which is the delight in torture.

Masochism, in which character’s self-torture compels them to sink into and surrender to their own madness.

The Black Cat

Let’s make some predictions about one of Poe’s short stories: “The Black Cat”.

What do you think we will see in this story?

Draw a picture of what you think will happen in the story.