[kari07]

Okay I understand.. but am I supposed to put in my intro? Do I talk about who edgar allan poe is..

[Wondergirl]

Did your class talk about this AT ALL? Have you ever written an essay before and an introductory paragraph and a thesis statement?

I am not sure how to help without writing the thing for you.

Whatever you write about Poe should be very brief. This isn't a biography.

Put something together -- a few sentences -- and I will tweak, if necessary.

[kari07]

Haha okay I will try its because I honestly suck at writing.. and I failed my last essay so I need to do good on this one.

[kari07]

May I ask.. who are you anyway haha?

[Wondergirl]

Writers use many techniques to make their writing appeal to the reader's artistic senses. A master of this was Edgar Allan Poe. In the short story "The Tell-Tale Heart," he writes to the reader's senses in order to orchestrate feelings of suspense and fear. In his last work, a poem called "Annabel Lee," he instead paints a picture of his almost bizarre attachment to a beloved woman whose loss he mourned. Although both of these have an overarching mood of insanity, one of them is more successful at showing that.

[kari07]

Are u like a person who writes essays for people? Like u know those websites where they charge to write essays/

[kari07]

Yes or no? Just wondering..

[Wondergirl]

Sorry I disappeared. I had to reboot my computer. It's old and cranky.

I was a college English major, have loved American and English lit all my life, was a teacher, became a career librarian, have written and gotten books published the old-fashioned way, am a counselor, and here I am, just to help you!

No, I don't write those essays for sale. I'm too smart to do that (most of them suck).

And, by the way, don't use that paragraph I wrote or your teacher will think you plagiarized it from somewhere. I was just trying to show you what I meant.

[kari07]

Haha why can't I use that paragraph? Does it sound too good or what?

[Wondergirl]

It doesn't quite sound like you, does it.

Now, YOU write one like that.

What grade are you in and where (generally) do you live? (I'm near Chicago.)

[kari07]

Haha no but I don't even have anything!. and its my first semester in college.

[Wondergirl]

If you used my paragraph, where would you go with the essay? How would you prove the thesis?

[kari07]

Well wouldn't I just talk about how one of them is more successful than the other one with examples/

[Wondergirl]

Yes, and your evidence and examples would be..

[kari07]

That the short stories have more mood and insanity in it... and put examples from the stories and poem.

[Wondergirl]

You said you are to use ONE short story, and you wanted "Tell-Tale Heart," so I put only that one that in the intro paragraph. We cannot use any other short stories in the body of the essay -- only that one.

What examples to compare and contrast the short story with the poem you selected?

[kari07]

Yes I know I am going to compare the tell tale heart and annabel lee and show which one is more successful correct?

[Wondergirl]

Yes, but HOW??

[kari07]

I don't know..

[Wondergirl]

When is this due?