The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe

SUMMARY: The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe is about a man sitting in his house because he is sad that he had lost someone by the name of Lenore. He has a mental breakdown involving a raven.

CHARACTERS:

Narrator

Raven

Paragraph; Characters in Paragraph:

1) Paragraph 1; Narrator

  • Man is reading a book in his chair, falling asleep when he hears a knock at his door.

2) Paragraph 2; Narrator

  • Man in sorrow is reading in attempt to forget a woman named Lenore.

3) Paragraph 3; Narrator

  • Man is scared of the night, says the tapping is nothing but the visitor at the door knocking.

4) Paragraph 4; Narrator

  • Man gathers strength and goes to door, no one is there ; says to the dark he is sorry for not getting there faster.

5) Paragraph 5; Narrator

  • Man looks into the dark remembering a lost love and says her name; Lenore and an echo returns with just his voice.

6) Paragraph 6; Narrator

  • Man goes back into the room he was reading in, hears a tap from the window; declares it must be the wind.

7) Paragraph 7; Narrator,Raven

  • Man opens window, the raven comes in sits on the "Bust of Pallas" : Pallas as a link to the goddess Athena, also known as the Virgin Athena

8) Paragraph 8; Narrator,Raven

  • Man ask the raven's name; Raven Replies "Nevermore"

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  • Man is amazed the Raven could talk.

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  • Man says other friends have come and left, so will this bird; raven replies "Nevermore"

11) Paragraph 11; Narrator,Raven

  • Man declares someone must have taught the raven that word, and it is the only word it knows. Raven: "Never-nevermore"

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  • Man is upset the bird tricked him into smiling, and now wonders what it meant by saying nevermore.

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  • Man continues to think while on his couch about reasons for the raven's answer of "Nevermore"

14) Paragraph 14; Narrator,Raven

  • Man thinks a changed in the air is that of angels, he then believes that the bird was sent by them to help him forget Lenore. Raven replies: "Nevermore"

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  • Man gets angry, calls bird a thing of evil, and tempter. Ask the raven if there is anything that will ease his pain. Raven replies: "Nevermore"

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  • Man ask the raven if he will be reunited with Lenore when he dies. Raven replies "Nevermore"

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  • Man tells the bird to leave. Raven says, "Nevermore"

18) Paragraph 18; Narrator

  • Man says his soul is trapped and will never be able to get free.

OTHER NOTES:

  • Narrator is sad over a lost love
  • Narrator talks with a raven that entered into his house
  • Narrator is in a story of lament and by saying his soul is stuck at the end of the story he is saying he will not get over it.

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