Premium Essay

How Does Edgar Allan Poe Create Tension

Submitted By
Words 531
Pages 3
Edgar Allan Poe uses word choice, structure, voice, and form to create tension and meaning. For example, through out the story the narrator insists that he is not mad, but the word choice and voice that Poe uses indicates another thing. In the first paragraph Poe writes, “ How, then, am I mad? Hearken! And observe how healthily—how calmly I can tell you the whole story.” In this quote Poe makes it obvious that the narrator had done something that has caused him to be so paranoid. Also, tension is starting because of how nervous the narrator’s voice sounds. Poe writes this story in a way to make it seem that the narrator is confessing what he had done. The narrator believes that one of the old man’s eye was evil. On the second paragraph Poe uses a metaphor to describe the old man’s eye, “He had the eye of a vulture.” A vulture is a threatening and large bird, the narrator might have felt like …show more content…
Tension starts rising when the narrator starts planning a way to kill the old man. Every night, at around midnight, the narrator poked his head in and shined a light to the old man’s eye, but the eye was always closed. Poe increases tension on the eighth night when the narrator accidentally wakes the old man up. The narrator didn’t move a muscle for a whole hour and the old man did not fall back asleep either. The old man’s fear grew, but he always convinced himself that the noises were nothing. Finally the narrator shined the dim ray and it fell on the old man’s vulture eye. When the narrator gazed upon the eye he grew furious helping create tension. For instance Poe writes, “ I saw it with perfect distinctness –all a dull blue, with a hideous veil over it that chilled the very marrow in my bones.” This helps create tension by the

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Tell Tale Heart and Monkeys Paw

...How does the authors create suspense and mystery in two stories from the genre ‘19th’ century gothic horror? “The monkey’s paw” by W.W Jacobs and the “Tell Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe are two short gothic horror stories written in the late ‘19th’ century. “The tell-tale heart” was written during the Victorian era and is based upon the conventions of the gothic horror. It’s a story about a servant who determined to get rid of an old man’s eye. “The monkeys paw” is also written in a gothic style this means that tension, mystery and suspense is very important factors. “The monkeys paw” is about a friend who has control over a curse of a shriveled monkey paw that grants three wishes to each man that gets hold of it. In both the stories the real names of the characters were not given. They were either initials like Mr. White or the characters were just simply referred to the old man or the man or I. This is the way that gothic fiction is created, by just giving initials or simple reference builds up more suspense. There are only two characters in “the tell tale heart” a old man who is murdered at the end of the story and another character who we don’t know anything about except that he is a killer, and he’s mad. The names may not be given to indicate that this may happen to anyone in the ‘19th’ century. One of the most well known techniques used in both stories is the way the author creates suspense and mystery. The use of repetition is used a lot by Edgar Allan Poe in the tell...

Words: 359 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Examine Some of the Ways Gothic Horror Is Presented in Frankenstein Showing How Your Understanding of Mary Shelley’s Techniques Has Been Illuminated by Your Reading of Poe’s Short Stories

...presented in Frankenstein showing how your understanding of Mary Shelley’s techniques has been illuminated by your reading of Poe’s short stories Firstly, Shelley uses the setting of her novel in order to create an unsettling atmosphere in various chapters. Factors such as time, weather and architecture all play an important role in bringing horror to life in both Frankenstein and Poe’s short stories. Mary Shelley aligns Victor with the Romantic Movement, which emphasised a turn to nature for experiences like hope and happiness. The natural world has notable effects on Victor’s mood. He is moved and happy in the presence of the scenic beauty of Switzerland. In return this also reminds Victor of his guilt, shame and regret. “The rain depressed me; my old feelings recurred, and I was miserable”. This enables the weather to foreshadow Victor’s emotions throughout the novel. The theme of nature also reappears in the monster’s narrative. Whereas Victor seeks the high cold hard world of the Alps for comfort, as if to freeze his guilt, the monster finds solace in the soft colours of a spring time forest. This symbolises his desire to reveal himself to the world and interact with others. The architecture of the early nineteenth century was typically gothic and of a medieval revival style. It is this gloomy and frightening scenery, which sets the scene for what the audience should expect. Likewise, Poe uses the setting to convey tension and horror in many of his short...

Words: 1517 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Critical Essay on "How Do I Love Thee?"

...hour of separation. Love is so easy to feel, so hard to explain; easy to get, so hard to let go; easy to spell, so hard to define. Love is an emotion that consists of three components; intimacy, passion and commitment, it is an emotional and physical feeling which takes over your whole state of mind and how you feel. There are many definitions and views of love, and the Merriam-Webster dictionary has ten definitions for love in it but it seems as though it doesn’t have any good definitions of love. However I carefully searched for an adequate definition and it was found in the most surprising place, a place that should have been the most obvious but not wanting to start controversy, I refused to see what was sitting right in front of me, a poem. One might say that a poem couldn’t possibly demonstrate the meaning of love. Conversely, many disagree; a poem could in fact demonstrate the meaning and feeling of love. A poem are the words that come from a person’s heart, mind, or soul, meaning it is personal and no one can know the true definition and meaning of something unless one has experienced it. With that being said, a poem, specifically, a poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “How Do I Love Thee?” demonstrated the preeminent meaning of love, compared to all other meanings, this definition has to be the best. This particular poem is important to study because it is popular to American poets, literature authors, and journalists. It is a famous love poem reviewed, critiqued, and...

Words: 3004 - Pages: 13

Free Essay

Philosophical Scope of Fiction in Sidney Sheldon Life

...Philosophical scope of fiction in Sidney Sheldon life Ume Sumayya Abstract My aspiration to contemplate what I want is the fundamental question that essentially arises whenever associate degree scholar of ideas ‘deals with a piece that he hopes to grasp. Such scholar could have centered his attention on a piece of literature - a literary composition, a play, a completely unique novel - or on a piece of philosophy – some exercise in moral, political, religious, or different such mode of thought. However the fundamental question can all tell such cases remain the same: what area unit the suitable procedures to adopt within the try of arrival at understanding of the work? This paper provides a synopsis of Sidney Sheldon life, reviews its key scientific challenges, and discusses its philosophical implications. It ends with many words concerning the implications of his work for the society. INTRODUCTION Sydney Sheldon is the most celebrated dramatic/suspense novel author of twentieth century. He’s additionally film, TV & amp; stage show/drama author and winner of an honor. Sydney’s own life was a pure drama, poorest at one stage; rich person at another. State capital wrote his 1st novel at the age of fifty three once individuals begin coming up with for retirement. It had been an enormous flop, he didn’t surrender, wrote another that clothed to be an excellent success. He thought of life as a completely unique, you never understand what happens next till you switch consecutive...

Words: 3676 - Pages: 15

Premium Essay

Assignments

...rides his rocking horse speedy enough, he will some way “discover” the label of the captivating horse in the subsequent race. Among the subtopics derived from this book do include of; lust for money, lack as well as the obsession for material items. BGS: Broad general statement The book mainly describes lack as the general topic because it is seen that Paul is normally lucky in the” Rocking-Horse Winner”. Thus, to be triumphant in the community Paul as well his mother dwells in; Paul wishes to have a definite quantity of luck to survive presently and after. Subtopics 1. Lust for money: the paper tries to augment on how Paul’s mother was soo obsessed with the money issues. 2. Lack: the paper will augment more concerning how lucky Paul was when it came to the “Rocking-Horse Winner”. 3. Obsession for material Items: the paper augments on how Paul’s mother is obsessed with material wealth as well as items. Thesis Regarding the thesis of the story, it attempts to explain more concerning luck. Also, on the reflection of the title it narrates about Paul as well as the mother for being infatuated by material wealth. Subtopic statement In the book, it is seen that among the points being discussed do comprise of; lust for money, lack as well as the obsession for material items. Through these statements, the book is able...

Words: 3980 - Pages: 16

Premium Essay

Narrative

...Narrative A narrative is a sequence of events that a narrator tells in story form. A narrator is a storyteller of any kind, whether the authorial voice in a novel or a friend telling you about last night’s party. Point of View The point of view is the perspective that a narrative takes toward the events it describes. First-person narration: A narrative in which the narrator tells the story from his/her own point of view and refers to him/herself as “I.” The narrator may be an active participant in the story or just an observer. When the point of view represented is specifically the author’s, and not a fictional narrator’s, the story is autobiographical and may be nonfictional (see Common Literary Forms and Genres below). Third-person narration: The narrator remains outside the story and describes the characters in the story using proper names and the third-person pronouns “he,” “she,” “it,” and “they.” • Omniscient narration: The narrator knows all of the actions, feelings, and motivations of all of the characters. For example, the narrator of Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina seems to know everything about all the characters and events in the story. • Limited omniscient narration: The narrator knows the actions, feelings, and motivations of only one or a handful of characters. For example, the narrator of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland has full knowledge of only Alice. • Free indirect discourse: The narrator conveys a character’s inner thoughts...

Words: 12257 - Pages: 50

Premium Essay

Uncertanity of Hope Commentary

...Oliver Nyambi considers The Uncertainty of Hope by Valerie Tagwira First published by: SAGE Open Jul 2014, 4(3) <http://bit.ly/1q7n9ui>   ABSTRACT There is a subtle yet discernible connection between the post-2000 political power struggle and the gender struggle in Zimbabwe. In both cases, a patriarchal power hierarchy shaped by tradition and history is perpetuated and justified as the mark of the nation’s unique identity. In cultural, political, and economic spheres, the status of most urban Zimbabwean women is still reflected as inferior to that of most men. During this economic and political crisis period, the prevailing gender power-relations evolved into gendered appraisals of the impact of the crisis and this created the potential for rather universal and androcentric conclusions. The consequent eclipse of female-centric voices of the political and gender struggle tends to suppress women’s perspectives, consequently inhibiting a gender-inclusive imagining of the nation. This article argues that discourses about gender struggle in Zimbabwe’s post-2000 crisis have not sufficiently addressed the question of space; that is, the significance of the oppressed women’s physical and social space in shaping their grievances and imaginings of exit routes. Similarly, the article argues that representations of this historic period in literary fiction have accentuated the wider political and economic struggles at the expense of other (especially gender) struggles, thereby rendering...

Words: 7086 - Pages: 29

Premium Essay

The Rise of the Tale

...BRITISH SHORT FICTION IN THE EARLY NINETEENTH CENTURY This page intentionally left blank British Short Fiction in the Early Nineteenth Century The Rise of the Tale TIM KILLICK Cardiff University, UK © Tim Killick 2008 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher. Tim Killick has asserted his moral right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work. Published by Ashgate Publishing Limited Gower House Croft Road Aldershot Hampshire GU11 3HR England Ashgate Publishing Company Suite 420 101 Cherry Street Burlington, VT 05401-4405 USA www.ashgate.com British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Killick, Tim British short fiction in the early nineteenth century : the rise of the tale 1. Short stories, English – History and criticism 2. English fiction – 19th century – History and criticism 3. Short story 4. Literary form – History – 19th century I. Title 823’.0109 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Killick, Tim. British short fiction in the early nineteenth century : the rise of the tale / by Tim Killick. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-7546-6413-0 (alk. paper) 1. Short stories, English—History and criticism. 2. English fiction—19th...

Words: 98420 - Pages: 394

Premium Essay

British Short Fictions

...BRITISH SHORT FICTION IN THE EARLY NINETEENTH CENTURY This page intentionally left blank British Short Fiction in the Early Nineteenth Century The Rise of the Tale TIM KILLICK Cardiff University, UK © Tim Killick 2008 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher. Tim Killick has asserted his moral right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work. Published by Ashgate Publishing Limited Gower House Croft Road Aldershot Hampshire GU11 3HR England Ashgate Publishing Company Suite 420 101 Cherry Street Burlington, VT 05401-4405 USA www.ashgate.com British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Killick, Tim British short fiction in the early nineteenth century : the rise of the tale 1. Short stories, English – History and criticism 2. English fiction – 19th century – History and criticism 3. Short story 4. Literary form – History – 19th century I. Title 823’.0109 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Killick, Tim. British short fiction in the early nineteenth century : the rise of the tale / by Tim Killick. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-7546-6413-0 (alk. paper) 1. Short stories, English—History and criticism. 2. English fiction—19th...

Words: 98420 - Pages: 394

Free Essay

Jjjj

...SAT WRITING ESSENTIALS SAT WRITING ESSENTIALS ® NEW YORK Copyright © 2006 LearningExpress All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by LearningExpress, LLC, New York. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data: Starkey, Lauren B., 1962– SAT writing essentials / Lauren Starkey. p. cm. ISBN 1-57685-532-5 1. English language—Composition and exercises—Examinations—Study guides. 2. SAT (Educational test)—Study guides. I. Title. LB1631.5.S785 2006 378.1'662—dc22 2005027520 Printed in the United States of America 987654321 ISBN 1-57685-532-5 For more information or to place an order, contact LearningExpress at: 55 Broadway 8th Floor New York, NY 10006 Or visit us at: www.learnatest.com About the Author Lauren Starkey is a writer and editor who specializes in educational and reference works. Her thirteen years of experience include eight years on the editorial staff of the Oxford English Dictionary. The author of more than ten volumes, Lauren lives in Essex, Vermont, with her husband and three children. v Contents CHAPTER 1 Getting to Know the Writing Section of the New SAT Old versus New Strategies for Test Taking Scoring SAT Study Timetable 1 1 2 4 5 11 12 32 45 55 56 58 59 59 65 68 69 CHAPTER 2 The Multiple-Choice Section Identifying Sentence Errors Improving Sentences Improving Paragraphs CHAPTER 3 The Essay Strategies for Timed Essays Understanding the Prompts...

Words: 56306 - Pages: 226

Free Essay

Writing Workout

...SAT WRITING ESSENTIALS SAT WRITING ESSENTIALS ® NEW YORK Copyright © 2006 LearningExpress All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by LearningExpress, LLC, New York. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data: Starkey, Lauren B., 1962– SAT writing essentials / Lauren Starkey. p. cm. ISBN 1-57685-532-5 1. English language—Composition and exercises—Examinations—Study guides. 2. SAT (Educational test)—Study guides. I. Title. LB1631.5.S785 2006 378.1'662—dc22 2005027520 Printed in the United States of America 987654321 ISBN 1-57685-532-5 For more information or to place an order, contact LearningExpress at: 55 Broadway 8th Floor New York, NY 10006 Or visit us at: www.learnatest.com About the Author Lauren Starkey is a writer and editor who specializes in educational and reference works. Her thirteen years of experience include eight years on the editorial staff of the Oxford English Dictionary. The author of more than ten volumes, Lauren lives in Essex, Vermont, with her husband and three children. v Contents CHAPTER 1 1 Old versus New 1 Strategies for Test Taking 2 Scoring 4 SAT Study Timetable CHAPTER 2 Getting to Know the Writing Section of the New SAT 5 11 Identifying Sentence Errors 12 Improving Sentences 32 Improving Paragraphs CHAPTER 3 The Multiple-Choice Section 45 The Essay 55 ...

Words: 55651 - Pages: 223

Premium Essay

Marxist

...BRITISH SHORT FICTION IN THE EARLY NINETEENTH CENTURY This page intentionally left blank British Short Fiction in the Early Nineteenth Century The Rise of the Tale TIM KILLICK Cardiff University, UK © Tim Killick 2008 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher. Tim Killick has asserted his moral right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work. Published by Ashgate Publishing Limited Gower House Croft Road Aldershot Hampshire GU11 3HR England Ashgate Publishing Company Suite 420 101 Cherry Street Burlington, VT 05401-4405 USA www.ashgate.com British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Killick, Tim British short fiction in the early nineteenth century : the rise of the tale 1. Short stories, English – History and criticism 2. English fiction – 19th century – History and criticism 3. Short story 4. Literary form – History – 19th century I. Title 823’.0109 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Killick, Tim. British short fiction in the early nineteenth century : the rise of the tale / by Tim Killick. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-7546-6413-0 (alk. paper) 1. Short stories, English—History and criticism. 2. English fiction—19th...

Words: 98420 - Pages: 394

Free Essay

Humanities

...MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION This module provides an overview on the subject of art appreciation for those entirely new to the subject. This is a complex topic to deal with and it is impossible to have a truly comprehensive discussion on the topic in such a brief essay. The student is advised to consult more advanced texts to gain further understanding of how to appreciate art more fully. HUMANITIES: What is it? • The term Humanities comes from the Latin word, “humanitas” • It generally refers to art, literature, music, architecture, dance and the theatre—in which human subjectivity is emphasized and individual expressiveness is dramatized. HOW IMPORTANT IS HUMANITIES • The fields of knowledge and study falling under humanities are dedicated to the pursuit of discovering and understanding the nature of man. • The humanities deal with man as a being of purpose, of values, loves, hates, ideas and sometimes as seer or prophet with divine inspiration. • The humanities aim at educating. THE ARTS: What is it? • The word “art” usually refers to the so-called “fine arts” (e.g. pictorial, plastic, and building)– and to the so-called “minor arts” (everyday, useful, applied, and decorative arts) • The word “art” is derived from arti, which denotes craftsmanship, skill, mastery of form, inventiveness. • Art serves as a technical and creative record of human needs and achievements. The word 'art' is often used in our daily lives. However, when...

Words: 11870 - Pages: 48

Premium Essay

Learning Theory

...- 55 39 Stop and think - 57 Selected reading - 60 3 Post-structuralism and deconstruction - 61 Some theoretical differences between structuralism and post-structuralism - 61 Post-structuralism - life on a decentred planet - 65 Stop and think - 68 Structuralism and post-structuralism - some practical differences - 70 What post-structuralist critics do - 73 Deconstruction: an example - 73 Selected reading - 79 4 Postmodernism - 81 What is postmodernism? What was modernism? - 81 'Landmarks' in postmodernism: Habermas, Lyotard and Baudrillard - 85 Stop and think - 90 What postmodernist critics do - 91 Postmodernist criticism: an example - 91 Selected reading - 94 5 Psychoanalytic criticism - 96 Introduction - 96 How Freudian interpretation works - 98 Stop and think - 101 Freud and evidence - 102 What Freudian psychoanalytic critics do - 105 Freudian...

Words: 98252 - Pages: 394

Premium Essay

As English

...AS English Language [pic] [pic] [pic] Fiction style models and tasks – 2012/2013 Style Model Workbook Style models are examples of a type of writing used to give you an idea of the features used when adapting a particular style and form. As you will be required to include a fiction and non-fiction annotated style model as part of your coursework folder we have compiled a selection of materials to give you a head start. The two booklets (one fiction, one non-fiction) will contain the type of extracts you should be looking for and the questions that accompany them will help you to annotate the materials appropriately. You will be given some of the extracts to study in class and some to complete as homework tasks. There may be some materials that you haven’t been directed to by your teachers, these will make very good additional preparation and you should look at these in your own time. All the resources, and some additional style models, can be found in the AS Language section of Moodle. AS LANGUAGE COURSEWORK You must keep all work during the production of the coursework in your folder. You will need all drafts and style models for part of your final grade. Criteria • Two pieces of your own writing • Each piece must have a different audience and purpose • You should write with a specific genre in mind • Pieces should be designed with a real publication in mind • Two...

Words: 28420 - Pages: 114