Poe Blog

If you think Edgar Allan Poe's writing is dark and heavy, you haven't heard HIS story. Poe was constantly immersed in a morbid environment; both his parents died, his foster parents died, his brother died, and his wife died. Poe was familiar, probably way too familiar, with struggles, both internal and external. Poe struggled with poverty, unrequited love, coping with loss, fulfilling his dreams as a writer, maintaining a reputation, and keeping his sanity constantly throughout his life and career. His father figure never supported him or his dreams, making Poe that much more determined and equally as much more rebellious. Poe constantly sought to seek something greatER and more colorful and otherworldly. Mystery and morbidity follow Poe to the grave, he himself dying tragically and suddenly far away from his family and friends.

On a basic level, it is easy to connect Poe to his work because they toy with the ideas of loss, fear, insanity, and overwhelming emotions, all of which Poe can obviously relate to. Another element of understanding is gained when you link Poe to the Romantic movement. Poe's surreal stories become less random and more insightful. They can be seen as a protest against not only his foster father but the mindset of the time, which was very money and profit driven. Poe chose to express, both in his life and writing, ideas of freedom that were imaginative and beyond his reality. Poe chose to believe in the power of seeing something beyond your reality that seems impossible, whether it be fulfilling your dream, finding love, finding excitement and adventure, bringing back those you've lost, or conversing with a talking bird.

What is an American?

What makes an American? Obviously, unless you are a Native American, everyone and their families originally came from somewhere else. It is the norm to be only fourth, third, second, or even first generation born in America. The culmination and diversity of cultures and people is what makes America American. Yes, there are distinctive cultural elements that are undeniably from other countries, but there are also things distinctively "American." Something unified and brought together the original mothers and fathers and allowed America to grow into what it is today.

By no means am I a super patriotic, traditionalist American. However, to me, an American is someone who understands the things available in America that most people take for granted: our unalienable human and American rights. An American has their own opinions and expresses them. An American recognizes the freedom and liberty we have in America to be able to share our ideas freely and be opinionated. An American has the right to pursue personal interest in the pursuit of happiness. An American has the right to vote. An American is free. An American has some sort of pride and patriotism; an American wants to be known as an American.

In conclusion, an American does more than just live in America. Intentionally or not, they identify with some fundamental moral or concept set by the founding mothers and/or fathers. What unifies Americans is that, when all prejudices, stereotypes, and politics vanish, we all have our rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.