Review the brief biography of Edgar Allan Poe provided at the end of the story. In what ways are Edgar and Edmund's life stories similar? How do they differ?

When Poe meets Helen Whitman in the cemetery, he tells her his life has been miserable without her. Given what you know about Poe's character, do you think her absence is what causes him misery? Why or why not?

Poe turns to drinking to ease his emotional pain. In the long run, do you think this works for him? What else might he have tried?

Do you think Edmund was wise to trust his own judgment, or should he have only trusted the adults as his Aunt Pru advised him? Explain your answer.

Describe your impression of America in the late 1800s as it is described in the story. Do you think it is more or...