"Tell-Tale Heart" by Poe

        This story is written by a man that is trying to argue for his sanity. He says that people accuse him of being "mad", or insane, while he believes that this "madness" is truly just a keen sense of hearing. This man tells a story of how he killed his neighbor. He says that he killed his neighbor even though he loved the old man, the only part of the man he disliked was his eye. The old man had the eye of a vulture, and it inexplicably infuriated the narrator. The story goes into how he killed the man in great depth, to the point where it feels repetitive and unnecessary. When the man was killed, he let out a shriek, which someone heard and reported to the police, who then come and the narrator leads them around the entire house, where they find nothing. Eventually, they sit in the room where the body is hidden (under the floorboards) to rest. They stay here for a long time and talk. As they sit, the narrator begins to hear a ringing sound, that gets louder as he waits. Eventually, he can no longer bear the noise, so he rips up the floorboards t reveal the body and be taken away for the crime.

      This story is about guilt. The narrator is at first happy and even proud of his deed. However, the guilt, shown by the ringing sound, gets worse and worse. Eventually, the ringing makes him confess so that he can be taken away from it. This shows that the narrator would rather suffer for the evil that he has committed than deal with the terrible guilt for the rest of his life.

      What event would lead Edgar Allen Poe to write this? Or did he simply write this for the simple reason of enjoyment?

"The Raven" by Poe

     In the beginning of this poem, Poe is thinking deeply and woefully about his loved one, Lenore. When he hears a noise on the door, he checks and no one is there. Soon after, he hears a tapping on the window as well, and when he checks, he finds a raven perched upon a branch close to his window. He likes this raven, and asks it what its name is, its reply is "nevermore". Poe talks to the bird and asks him several questions, however the bird always answers "nevermore". Poe tells the bird to leave after receiving no help with his many questions and need for advice, but the bird stays where it is. 

     The answer "nevermore" is clearly a very important and meaning part of this poem. However, Poe did not make the title of the poem "nevermore" instead he named it "The Raven", which would indicate that the raven Poe talks with is of at least equal if not greater meaning to the poem. One possible idea is that the raven itself represents the Lord, and when Poe continually asks the raven about the woman, it simply says "nevermore" over and over. This could mean that when people sin, and ask God for advice, he simply tells them to do it no longer, nevermore. Some people love the sin they commit too much to turn from it, and become angry with the Lord and no longer want his help in their lives. However, one major possible flaw could ruin this idea, which leads me to this question:

     Was Edgar Allan Poe a Christian?

Irving's "Rip Van Winkle"

     This story is about a man, who is adored by many people. He was loved by many women, and the children all like to play with him. His life outside of his house is perfect, however, he and his wife are on the verge of divorce, his father was cruel to him, and he was not a good farmer. He only loved his dog. One day, he went up on a mountain to take his own life, but people showed up and he drank with them until he passed out. When he woke up, his dog was gone. He went back to town to find that he was actually asleep for 20 years, and everyone he knew was gone. He had to start a new life.
     This story can relate to alcoholism very well. This man was depressed, and in his depression he took a drink of alcohol, but didn't stop, he drank more and more. He eventually passed out and slept for twenty years, in a completely different life. This symbolizes how alcohol can dominate your life, and can for many years, and that when you finally stop, you may have already ruined or changed everything and may have a completely new life, or even have to start all over.
    Is that what Irving was trying to show?