Week Thirteen - Hans Pfaal

Hans Pfaal

This is another story of Poe's that actually bored me. I guess I'm not into his sci-fi endeavor any more than I was into his novel endeavor. There wasn't really much here I liked, I felt like I was trudging my way through. The moon man delivering the letter was kinda cool, but other than that... eh. I think that perhaps I am biased when it comes to Poe. I grew up reading the dark and gothic stuff, and I love it; but, when I read his other stuff I just can't get into it. I am always expecting something scary to happen and nothing ever does. Unless you count the kitten scene. That was horrible. :(

Week Eleven - A.G. Pym

This is Poe's only novel. I am really glad he didn't go into novel writing, to be honest. This thing was horrid. It was boring 95% of the time. The 5% that wasn't boring was when they ship of corpses came about, and of course the little bit about cannibalism. What can I say? When I read Poe, I want gothic and I want to be freaked out. He bored me with all the sailing bits, and with the birds. Gosh. I nearly tore my hair out trying to read this. I think this would have been better had it been broken into short stories. It would have flowed somewhat better.

I'm never getting the time I spent on this novel back. Damn you, Poe. Damn you. (Just kidding).

Week Ten - William Wilson

William Wilson

This is not the best written story, but it has influenced so many people. I will not go into that (but I'll let you read my paper about it if you like!) but I will say... it's amazing this piece was so influential.

Wilson (not his real name) is convinced that there is an exact copy of himself that has been following him around. Wilson number 2 shows up at his boarding school unexpectedly, and it turns out they have the same features and even the same birthday. When I first read that, I knew that Wilson number 1 was a little crazy.

By the end, Wilson number 2 shows up and Wilson number 1 stabs him. But Wilson number 2 isn't really there, he has stabbed himself and doesn't realize that it was all in his head.

Fight Club, anyone?

Week Nine - The Masque of the Red Death

The Masque of the Red Death

This was a quite enjoyable story. I really liked how the rooms were in all different colors, and how they could be an interpretation of the cycle of life. The rooms go from east to west, and can symbolize birth to death.

This short shows that no matter who you are or how much money you have that death will come for you and it will have you. There is no escaping death, no matter if you look yourself and 100 other people in an abbey. Everyone dies in this story, and it's one of the reasons I love it. They were selfish bastards who thought they were better than everyone else and they learned that they were, in fact, not.

Week Eight - Cask of Amontillado & Fall of the House of Usher

The Cask of Amontillado

This is one of the stories I greatly enjoy by Poe. The narrator is confessing a crime he committed fifty years ago. He was never caught, I'm not sure he was even a suspect. I noticed that in this short story the narrator actually has a name, Montresor. Poe doesn't seem to like to name his narrators much, so this surprised me a bit. Anyway, yes, Montresor is sly and quite bright in his way of killing Fortunato. He makes sure to clear his house of employees, and he leads the victim to the basement. My favorite part of the story is where Fortunato says "I will not die of a cough" and Montresor agrees with him. Love the irony. Fortunato does not die of a cough, but of being buried alive - not in the ground but in a wall. I love the image of this - maybe I'm morbid but that's how I roll. The thought of a man dressed as a jester, chained to a wall and then brick by brick he disappears into nothingness. Does anyone miss him? Does anyone even care?

The Fall of the House of Usher

This story has always been one that has stuck with me. The story of twins that die in a house that seemingly wants to swallow them whole is a story that one can't really forget. Until we discussed the story in class, I never gave the relationship between brother and sister a thought. I mean, I thought they were close. I didn't think they were committing incest, however, but little tidbits from the story seem to support that. Gross.

I love haunted house stories, and this is a different kind of haunted house story. There are no ghosts trying to scare people, just the house itself willing it's evil on it's inhabitants. It eventually kills the Usher twins, and kills their lineage as well. When this happens, the house falls as well, as if it's only want or need was to effectively kill the Usher name.

Week Seven - The Pit and the Pendulum

The Pit and the Pendulum

What an awesome story. Even thought we're told at the beginning that the narrator is writing the events he experienced, the reader can't help but feel nervous and anxiety for him. I felt myself wondering if the narrator would live when obviously he did. It's very awesome how Poe achieved that affect within the story.

The story really shook me, if it's historically accurate. I know the Spanish Inquisition was not a pleasant experience, but did they really torture people like this? It seems so horrible that they would want someone to just lose their mind before killing them. That poor man - what could he have done to warrant such treatment? Poe, you once again frighten me.

Week Six - The Purloined Letter and The Tell Tale Heart

The Purloined Letter

The main thing I liked about this tory was the quote Dupin left in the duplicate letter for the Minister. I think the quote really says a lot about Dupin, especially when you know what it's about. I knew the basic gist of Atres and Thyestes but when Dr. Kiddie elaborated on it in class, well it struck me. I really wanted to know what the Minister did to Dupin because that is one powerful story to quote from.

Anyway, I liked the story for what it was - a detective story. I liked how everyone was being sneaky in plain sight. Well, the Minister and Dupin. Dupin really turned the tables on the Minister by doing ot him what he did to the Queen. What goes around comes around.

The Tell Tale Heart

So far this is one of my favorite Poe stories. I love how the narrator claims he isn't mad yet by the end of the story he's all crazy. I love the style of narration - it feels like the narrator is talking directly to the reader trying to convince the reader of his sanity. I've always felt like he was talking to a psychiatrist but it can really be taken either way. It adds to the intrigue of the story not knowing whom the narrator is really addressing.

I never thought to read this story from the viewpoint that the old man doesn't exist. Now that I have, I like it even more. It just makes the narrator seem that much more crazy in a special way. Just thinking that the narrator made up the old man makes you wonder what it is about himself that he wants to kill. It's a total metaphor. Maybe he wanted to kill himself but he couldn't, so he concocted this old man and when the police come they realize the narrator has gone bat shit crazy and they lock him up.