1. American Literature ENGLISH III Ms. Trevathan

2.  Born 1809, Boston, MA  Died 1849, Baltimore, MD  Published poems, reviews, stories, novels, and worked as an editor.  Considered “a gifted, but socially unacceptable writer” whose reputation was tainted by his personal difficulties.

3. Some combination of the following elements:  ƒ Castles or old, decrepit houses, could be haunted  ƒ Dungeons, subterranean passageways, basements, attics  ƒ Dark corridors, winding stairways  ƒ Flickering lights, candles, moonlight  ƒ Extreme landscapes  ƒ Omens or curses  ƒ Maidens in distress  ƒ Villain or madmen  ƒ Magic or supernatural manifestations

4. These writings create feelings of gloom, mystery, terror, suspense and fear as they seek to explore humanity’s dark side and arouse questions in mankind about good vs. evil, the role of the supernatural, the experience of fear or terror, and others.

5. Grotesque or abnormal characters Bizarre situations Violent events Suspenseful elements

6.  characterized by fanciful or fantastic human and animal forms often interwoven with foliage or similar figures that may distort the natural into absurdity, ugliness, or caricature.  departing markedly from the natural, the expected, or the typical.  very strange or ugly in a way that is not normal or natural.  extremely different from what is expected or usual.

7. Suspense Dramatic technique that plays off the difference in knowledge between the audience and the characters Thrives on tension build up Not equal to surprise—why not?

8. Clues (symbols) Journals, diaries, notes, pictures Dreams Foreshadow future events Show characters’ deepest fears Five Senses Sound effects Imagery Weather Match or contrast characters’ moods, feelings

9. Foreshadowing Literary device in which an author suggests what will come later in the story Symbolism Representation of something else through an object, person, or place. Imagery Representation of a sense through language Sight, sound, smell, taste, or touch

10. Edgar Allan Poe’s legacy Originator of the detective story Founder of the short story Poetic pioneer Explored human psychology from the inside; profound explorer of the torments of the human soul Personal difficulties helped to characterize him as tragic figure Used first-person narrators who were sometimes criminal or insane