Introduction to Poe Using Primary Resources

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

Studying the life and time in which an author wrote will help you understand their works and allow you to make connections that will deepen and enrich your learning.

In this lesson, you will learn about the life of Edgar Allan Poe, how his life experiences influenced his writing, and how his writing continues to inspire.

Start with some basic background on Poe and his troubled life. As you watch the video below, ask yourself the following.

• Why might Poe have thought of himself as cursed?
• Do you think Poe would have been such a well-known writer today if he had lived a happier life?
• Why do we still study, read about, and generally appreciate certain people long after they are gone?

To look further into Poe's influence, use primary source materials.

Primary source materials are defined by the U.S. Library of Congress as the raw materials of history — original documents and objects that were created at the time under study.

They are different from secondary sources, accounts or interpretations of events created by someone without firsthand experience.

Examining primary source documents is almost like having a time machine — it will give you a real sense of the period in which a particular author lived and worked or, in this lesson, how an author has been remembered over time.

Analyzing primary source materials provides you with a deeper connection to and understanding of the literature.

So, to prepare to read the works of Poe, jump into a time machine and see what you can find in the Got It? section!