Edgar Allen Poe

I never really knew much about Edgar Allen Poe and the life he lived. Hence why I really enjoyed reading his biography; it gave a lot more insight into the man he was and what his life was like. Everyone has heard of his famous works like The Raven and Annabel Lee. But many people don't fully understand the man behind the work. I don't think I fully understand him either, but my understanding now is a little bit better than it was before.

I have read both The Raven and Annabel Lee before, but I haven't ever read The Purloined Letter before. Annabel Lee is a beautiful poem, in my opinion. Poe did an excellent job with the diction he used in this poem, and the words flow beautifully together. Especially when hearing this poem read aloud, one is drawn in by the grace and fluidity of the words, and it feels like you are really there, by the sea, with both the man and Annabel Lee. The Raven is a darker poem, in my opinion. It is very interesting that Poe chose to use a raven as the bird in this poem-he could have used any type of creature. Ravens, however, are dark, black birds. They are scavengers. They are not pretty. I think this symbolism is quite useful in this poem. I think the raven may symbolize death and despair, and having an actual raven be the creature to portray this is quite perfect. This poem is also beautifully written and very fluid. I really enjoyed re-reading both of these poems.

I have never read The Purloined Letter before, and I thought it was very interesting. I've never really thought about what goes into investigations to recover lost items, so it was intriguing to read a short story about all the thought and logic that has to go into these investigations to be able to find what you are looking for. It was also interesting to see the point made that many police forces are too meticulous in their investigations; sometimes the answer is rather simple. You just have to know your opponent. I think this can be helpful in many different aspects of life, because many times in order to succeed, one must know his opponent and be able to think like him. Poe made a good point with this story, and I enjoyed reading it.