Mind Of Edgar Allan Poe example essay topic

Edgar A. Poe's Fear of Self Edgar Allan Poe was a unique man that most people could not understand. Many recognize that he is a talented writer with a very strange and dark style. One of his most well known short stories is "The Fall Of The House Of Usher". Many argue the different meanings of this story and how it is symbolic to his life. Poe was a very confused individual who needed to express him self, he accomplished this through the short story of "The Fall Of The House Of Usher". Through this story, Edgar was trying to show the fear he had for him self, he did not understand him self so therefore Poe ran from his own personality and mind.

This story enables the reader to take a look at Poe's mind and reveals some of the details that led him into his own insanity. Almost everyone goes through different fazes in their lives where they are trying to find their true self. Some may be happy and content with who they are where as others are scarred and frightened at the human beings they have become. Edgar finally came to a point in his life where he needed to step back and examine himself. The method that he chose was to look into the depths of his own mind. There are many things for which he needed to come to terms with, in a sense he had grown apart from himself and needed to find out who he really was.

The story of "The Fall Of The House Of Usher" is the story of Edgar Allan Poe taking a journey into his own mind in search of who he had become. Upon reaching the house of Usher he has come to the outer shell of his own mind, it is not clear what is wrong but Poe is certain that there is something off set and out of place. He cannot quite put his finger on it but it is there never the less. "What was it-I paused to think-what was it that so unnerved me in the contemplation of the House of Usher" (234). Before Poe truly finds what he is looking for, he knows that there is something wrong within himself. Even the setting of this story describes Poe's personality and outlook on life.

Poe first realizes in his journey that he is alone with no one to turn to except his very own mind. "When the clouds hung oppressively low in the heavens, I had been passing alone, through a singularly dreary tract of country and at length found myself within view of the melancholy House of Usher" (234). In the end, this fact of his life could have been a reason for his insanity. The house itself represents Poe's mind, in a sense it represents what Poe has become in reality. His mind has become the unknown and the part of him that he did not necessarily want to know or come to terms with because it was frightening and dark. "Upon the bleak walls-upon the vacant eye like windows.

There was an iciness, a sinking, a sickening of the heart-an unredeemed dreariness of though which no goading of the imagination could torture into aught of the sublime (234)". Edgar found himself to be vacant and bleak, he also had a cold sick feeling when he saw what he had become. He was frightened to move on but he had to keep going in order to know the truth about himself. Usher represents the inner self of Edgar A. Poe, he is the personality for which Poe knew, and possibly became. Poe quite possibly became Usher but he did not realize it until he re visited his inner self and mind. "Its proprietor, Roderick Usher, had been one of my boon companions in boyhood; but many years had elapsed since our last meeting" (236).

Roderick Usher can represent Poe's madness, Poe knew him in the past but finally along his journey he is coming to terms with his insanity. Edgar is excepting his madness although he still is frightened by the truth. "The writer spoke of acute bodily illness-of a mental disorder which oppressed him-and of an earnest desire to see me, as his best, and indeed his only personal friend" (236). Poe realized that his insanity did exist but he needed to address it and come to terms with it. Eventually Poe goes into the house of Usher and the reader experiences the mind of Edgar Allan Poe. He enters Ushers home (Poe's mind) and is taken through many dark and intricate passages.

"Through many dark and intricate passages in my progress to the studio of his master. Much that I encountered on the way contributed, I know not how, to heighten the vague sentiments of which I have already spoken" (237). Edgar's mind is very complex and dark with many secrets to reveal. His mind is so dark and evil that he cannot even see the outer reaches of his mind nor any light that may possibly enter. "The eye, however struggled in vain to reach the remoter angles of the chamber, or the recesses of the vaulted and fretted ceiling" (237). Darkness usually signifies the evil and the unknown where as light is most always to represent good.

His mind, dark and deranged, represents his insanity. In the house of Usher many things take place, which are out of the ordinary. The longer Poe stays within his own mind, the more fear he has for himself and what he is becoming. Throughout his stay Roderick and Poe put Roderick's sister in a coffin and burry her alive. Poe is obsessed with death and throughout much of his work the topic was a theme or involved in many stories. Edgar views his own obsession and a desire that he has always wanted, which would be to be buried alive or burry someone alive.

He is infatuated with this yet he is very frightened at the thought of his desires. Every moment he is in Usher's house the more strange and frightening things become. Poe realizes how mixed up his mind is and how frightening his own thoughts are. Poe does not want to see any more and runs away from the house of Usher.

By doing this he is running from himself and his very own mind. This is the final trigger, which causes Poe to comprehend his insanity. He runs away from his mind and does not want to accept it but he can do nothing about it. By this realization his mind falls apart and Edgar has reached the height of his insanity. Through the short story of "The Fall Of The House Of Usher" Poe did a phenomenal job of expressing himself and of revealing his own insanity. Poe had an idea of what he was becoming but after he did examine himself he was very frightened and he knew the only thing to do was to run.

But for whom did he have to run to? Poe was well known and well respected but he did not have anyone to turn to. When Edgar runs from the house of Usher he is also running from his very own mind but where is he running? What is beyond the house of Usher? The only thing that is beyond the house of Usher is his own mind. The house crumbled and Poe cracked.

He ran but the only place he found to confide in was him self. Edgar Allan Poe was scarred and needed help but there was no one, in the end Poe fueled his very own insanity..