In our analysis of the literature of Edgar Allan Poe, most of us will probably agree that he has a very unique “voice” in his writing. Word choice is a big part of Poe’s “voice”…. Knowing the definitions of the unique vocabulary that Poe uses will help us to understand the meaning of his stories and the depth of what he is trying to say……

A fun strategy to comprehend Poe is to put his words into our everyday language….. Not always so easy!

Here is how The Black Cat begins……. For the most wild, yet most homely narrative which I am about to pen, I neither expect nor solicit belief. Mad indeed would I be to expect it, in a case where my very senses reject their own evidence. Yet, mad am I not – and very surely do I not dream. But tomorrow I die, and today I would unburden my soul. - Edgar Allan Poe, “The Black Cat” Vocabulary: Homely Narrative Pen Solicit Reject Evidence unburden Unattractive or simple To write story Something that proves or disproves Refuse to accept Seek for relieve

PARAPHRASED TEXT: (Elaborated and presented in today’s language) Well, ladies and gentleman, I am about to write the most outrageous tale you can ever imagine. You might think you have read some wild and fantastic stories in your lifetime but this one tops the cake! I certainly don’t expect you to believe my story and I’m not going to persuade you to do so. (Well, maybe with my wonderful words I’ll entice you to get caught up in the tangled web a little bit…) Hold on to your stomachs though, the details of the story are pretty gruesome to say the least. If I thought you might believe even a part of this I would be pretty crazy. When I read over the words I am about to write I must say that my senses won’t even allow me to believe these atrocious events! Did I really do those things? Hmmmm….. However, I’ll let you in on a little secret. DO NOT THINK I AM SOME CRAZY DUDE THAT GOES AROUND….(well, I’ll let you read the story.) Crazy? No. I’m not crazy. I’m as sane as the guy walking down the street getting some fries for lunch. Dreams don’t even enter my head at night – you know, those weird and wild dreams that insanity brings? I sleep like a baby. But tomorrow won’t be one of my best days. You see, I’m going to die. Yup. Hook, line and sinker – dead. End of good old me! So, today I’m going to spill my guts.

Student Activity In your group, read the section of the text given to you. You will paraphrase this together like the model. Use the vocabulary list to help you. Make sure every detail is included in your paraphrased “voice” of today. How creative can you be? Be prepared to share out with your “expressive voices”!

Paragraph 3 to paraphrase: I married early, and was happy to find in my wife a disposition not uncongenial with my own. Observing my partiality for domestic pets, she lost no opportunity of procuring those of the most agreeable kind. We had birds, gold-fish, a fine dog, rabbits, a small monkey, and a cat. This latter was a remarkably large and beautiful animal, entirely black, and sagacious to an astonishing degree. In speaking of his intelligence, my wife, who at heart was not a little tinctured with superstition, made frequent allusion to the ancient popular notion, which regarded all black cats as witches in disguise. Not that she was ever serious upon this point – and I mention the matter at all for no better reason than that it happens, just now, to be remembered. Paragraph 2 to paraphrase: From my infancy I was noted for the docility and humanity of my disposition. My tenderness of heart was even so conspicuous as to make me the jest of my companions. I was especially fond of animals, and was indulged by my parents with a great variety of pets. With these I spend most of my time, and never was so happy as when feeding and caressing them. This peculiarity of character grew with my growth, and, in my manhood, I derived from it one of my principal sources to pleasure. To those who have cherished an affection for a faithful and sagacious dog, I need hardly be at the trouble of explaining the nature or the intensity of the gratification thus derivable.

Paragraph 2 Vocabulary: Docility – the act of easily being managed or trained Disposition – state of mind or mood Conspicuous – visible or easily seen Jest – joke or witty remark Indulge – to give in to a desire/satisfy Caress – touch or stroke with affection Derive – to receive from a source Sagacious – having keen practical sense or shrewdness. Also being clever or cunning. Intensity- great energy, strength or concentration Paragraph 3 Vocabulary: Congenial – agreeable or pleasing in nature or character Partial – incomplete / in part only Procure- to obtain or get by care, to bring about by using special means Latter – the second mentioned of two things Sagacious - having keen practical sense or shrewdness. Also being clever or cunning. Tinctured- having a trace or a small “smattering” (tincture as a noun is a slight amount of something – in science it usually refers to dye or pigment) Allusion – indirect or casual reference to something Notion- a belief or general understanding of something