t same situation. Poe believes that when you are trying to consider effect you must consider tone or incident. Tone is a very important part of the piece when the effect is being created. “I had so worked upon my imagination as really to believe that about the whole mansion and domain there hung an atmosphere peculiar to themselves and their immediate vicinity—an atmosphere which had no affinity with the air of heaven, but which had reeked up from the decayed trees, and the gray wall, and the silent tarn—a pestilent and mystic vapor, dull, sluggish, faintly discernible and leaden-hued”(Fall 298). This passage sets the tone of the story in a melancholy state. This helps create the effect of sadness and dreariness of the story. Another criteria that Poe follows is to keep all his work original. Poe definitely follows these criteria. His pieces are very original in style and plot. Poe’s last criteria is that the writer needs to create an effect that touches the heart, intellect, or soul to keep universal interest. Poe clearly does this in “The Raven.” The man in the poem is grieving over his lost Lenore. The poem describes the illusions he is experiencing from the grief. This theme is easy to relate to because people lose loved ones everyday and they have experienced the same grief. This affects the heart because of the sadness. Poe also uses this criteria in “The Masque of the Red Death.” He touches the soul by creating the fear of the Red Death. This also relates to people universally because everyone is afraid of death even though it is inevitable. Clearly, Poe creates an effect that touches the heart, soul, or intellect. Poe follows the criteria he created in all his works and by using these six criteria Poe is able to create magnificent and well developed writings. By revealing the tedious details of the writing process, readers will appreciate the work much mor...
