Picking on Poe - Empty Closets - A safe online community for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered people coming out

DayByDay · 26th Feb 2009, 03:52 PM

So in my English Comp class we are reading a few of Edgar Allen Poe stories: "The Black Cat", "The Cask of Amontillado", and "The Fall of the House of Usher." Now personally I love Poe. Always have. I think for a manic depressive, he had a gift for storytelling and a great insight into the darker side of the human pysche.

However, my classmates violently disagreed with me. I was verbal attacked! Everyone jumped on me saying that I must be 'crazy' and a 'weirdo' to like the stories. I was taken aback. This is college for heaven's sake. I am rather upset at this. I'm not ever sure why. Any thoughts on this?

26th Feb 2009, 03:54 PM

Many people can't fathom the great subtleties of Poe and the absolute brilliance of his work. They always seem to associate stereotypes with those who do enjoy it. Personally, I think his verbiage is a bit too much for me though. Fall of The House of Usher was a very, very hard read.

26th Feb 2009, 03:55 PM

I think it's stupid and childish that they reacted how they did. I have always loved Poe too although I thought the Black Cat was far too macabre for me (I read it when I was 13). But I've always loved things like The Raven, and The Telltale Heart, and The Pit and the Pendulum. I never read The Cask of Amontillado although people say it's good.

revolutionrock · 26th Feb 2009, 04:23 PM

Poe is definitely one of my favorite American authors. Not many on that list, I have to tell you!

Dazed · 26th Feb 2009, 04:28 PM

Poe was a mastermind.
anyone with any sense of good writing will know that.
i wish i had half his talent.

the telltale heart and the raven are my favorites but i have a book of his collected works :] he is my love. lol

Wander · 26th Feb 2009, 05:26 PM

Teehee...I was first assigned those stories back in seventh grade.

I have to say, I like Poe's writing but not Poe himself. Too much of an anti-science romantic for me.

DayByDay · 26th Feb 2009, 05:29 PM

LoL ~ I wish I had half his talent too!

"The Tale-Tell Heart", "The Raven", and "The Pit and the Pendulum"... Ah, good stuff!

Thanks everyone, I feel better. *sigh* Like beauty, sanity too, is in the mind of the beholder isn't it? :P

OneHatMadder · 27th Feb 2009, 02:31 AM

The Masque of the Red Death has been my favourite short story since I was 9 years old

I absolutely ADORE Poe!

Level N Human · 27th Feb 2009, 02:43 AM

Make voodoo dolls with cat ears of everyone in that class. That'll show'em.

Dazed · 27th Feb 2009, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Level N Human

Make voodoo dolls with cat ears of everyone in that class. That'll show'em.

i love that. hahaha

musicgirl112233 · 28th Feb 2009, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneHatMadder

The Masque of the Red Death has been my favourite short story since I was 9 years old

I absolutely ADORE Poe!

Me too! I read The Masque of The Red Death last year it was great!

Sarah · 28th Feb 2009, 10:36 AM

Poe is a very good writer but very twisted. lik in one of his books he fell in love with his great grandmother. nd his poem "Annabell Lee" how he slept in her coffin with her. *shivers* kinda creepy but very beautiful writing

Dakku · 28th Feb 2009, 11:10 AM

I bought a lether bound copy of a bunch of Poe's stories and poems a few years back.
Eventually I ended up needing money, and sold it on to a friend of mine who's really into that sort of stuff, because I never actually read it, sadly...

28th Feb 2009, 11:34 AM

Wonderful writer. His stories are so crude and unsettling. 'The Pit and the Pendulum' and 'Berenice' are brilliant. There are plenty of works by him I have yet to read, though.

By the way, your classmates' reaction was downright ridiculous! We read Poe in class at 12 and no one reacted like that.

26th Feb 2009, 03:52 PM	#1
DayByDay Bengal Baby Full Member Gender: Female Orientation: Lesbian Out Status: A few people Location: New Jersey Age: 23 Posts: 290 Join Date: Feb 2009	Picking on Poe So in my English Comp class we are reading a few of Edgar Allen Poe stories: "The Black Cat", "The Cask of Amontillado", and "The Fall of the House of Usher." Now personally I love Poe. Always have. I think for a manic depressive, he had a gift for storytelling and a great insight into the darker side of the human pysche. However, my classmates violently disagreed with me. I was verbal attacked! Everyone jumped on me saying that I must be 'crazy' and a 'weirdo' to like the stories. I was taken aback. This is college for heaven's sake. I am rather upset at this. I'm not ever sure why. Any thoughts on this?

26th Feb 2009, 03:54 PM	#2
The Enigma Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Picking on Poe Many people can't fathom the great subtleties of Poe and the absolute brilliance of his work. They always seem to associate stereotypes with those who do enjoy it. Personally, I think his verbiage is a bit too much for me though. Fall of The House of Usher was a very, very hard read.

26th Feb 2009, 03:55 PM	#3
Midnight Angel Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Picking on Poe I think it's stupid and childish that they reacted how they did. I have always loved Poe too although I thought the Black Cat was far too macabre for me (I read it when I was 13). But I've always loved things like The Raven, and The Telltale Heart, and The Pit and the Pendulum. I never read The Cask of Amontillado although people say it's good.

26th Feb 2009, 04:23 PM	#4
revolutionrock Diggin' the obviousness. Full Member Gender: Male Orientation: Gay Out Status: Out to everyone Location: Arizona Age: 21 Posts: 246 Join Date: Jun 2008	Re: Picking on Poe Poe is definitely one of my favorite American authors. Not many on that list, I have to tell you!

26th Feb 2009, 04:28 PM	#5
Dazed Banned Gender: ladyfella Orientation: MaddyBensexual Out Status: out to all :] Location: Richmond VA Age: 24 Posts: 2,189 Join Date: Mar 2007	Re: Picking on Poe Poe was a mastermind. anyone with any sense of good writing will know that. i wish i had half his talent. the telltale heart and the raven are my favorites but i have a book of his collected works :] he is my love. lol

26th Feb 2009, 05:26 PM	#6
Wander Banned Gender: Male Orientation: Gay Out Status: Parents, aunts, grandma, counselor, online friends Location: Central Alabama Age: 18 Posts: 2,360 Join Date: Jan 2008	Re: Picking on Poe Teehee...I was first assigned those stories back in seventh grade. I have to say, I like Poe's writing but not Poe himself. Too much of an anti-science romantic for me.

26th Feb 2009, 05:29 PM	#7
DayByDay Bengal Baby Full Member Gender: Female Orientation: Lesbian Out Status: A few people Location: New Jersey Age: 23 Posts: 290 Join Date: Feb 2009	Re: Picking on Poe LoL ~ I wish I had half his talent too! "The Tale-Tell Heart", "The Raven", and "The Pit and the Pendulum"... Ah, good stuff! Thanks everyone, I feel better. sigh Like beauty, sanity too, is in the mind of the beholder isn't it? :P

27th Feb 2009, 02:31 AM	#8
OneHatMadder When You're Good To Mama... Full Member Gender: Boy/Drag Queen Orientation: Gayer than Christmas. Out Status: Out? Darling, I was never IN! Location: Ministry of Love, New Zealand Age: 21 Posts: 1,976 Join Date: Dec 2007	Re: Picking on Poe The Masque of the Red Death has been my favourite short story since I was 9 years old I absolutely ADORE Poe! __________________ Call me Mama I dislike Gaga and hate Glee. Does this mean I lose my gay licence?

27th Feb 2009, 02:43 AM	#9
Level N Human Deluxe Full Member Gender: Female Orientation: Fag-ette. Out Status: Most friends Age: 22 Posts: 816 Join Date: Jul 2007	Re: Picking on Poe Make voodoo dolls with cat ears of everyone in that class. That'll show'em. __________________ If we hit that bullseye the rest of the dominoes will fall like a house of cards... checkmate.

28th Feb 2009, 10:36 AM	#12
Sarah my mind just blanked Full Member Gender: birth certificate says im a F(w/e tat means) Orientation: bisexual(more guys than girls) Out Status: people who hav asked Location: the place around where i am Age: 17 Posts: 527 Join Date: Nov 2008	Re: Picking on Poe Poe is a very good writer but very twisted. lik in one of his books he fell in love with his great grandmother. nd his poem "Annabell Lee" how he slept in her coffin with her. shivers kinda creepy but very beautiful writing __________________ "Walk Proud and we will walk with you. Stumble and we will lift you up" stilsurchin, EC member,I don't know if they thought of it on their own or heard it from someone else, but who ever said it is very thoughtful and insightful

28th Feb 2009, 11:10 AM	#13
Dakku Whatever it is that makes you you. Regular Member Gender: Must we go into that?! Orientation: Little bit of this and that. Out Status: It's pretty darn out there if you look. Location: Jupiter. Age: 21 Posts: 38 Join Date: Feb 2009	Re: Picking on Poe I bought a lether bound copy of a bunch of Poe's stories and poems a few years back. Eventually I ended up needing money, and sold it on to a friend of mine who's really into that sort of stuff, because I never actually read it, sadly... __________________ You can spend a lifetime knowing who you are and being in denial about it. No one should hate themselves enough to do that.

28th Feb 2009, 11:34 AM	#14
Mysterons Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Picking on Poe Wonderful writer. His stories are so crude and unsettling. 'The Pit and the Pendulum' and 'Berenice' are brilliant. There are plenty of works by him I have yet to read, though. By the way, your classmates' reaction was downright ridiculous! We read Poe in class at 12 and no one reacted like that.

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