The Teacher

Poe was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. As one of the earliest short story writers, he is considered the father of the detective story genre and a contributor to the early days of the science fiction genre. Poe’s personal life was marked with frequent tragedy. By the time he was three years old, his father had abandoned the family, his mother had died, and he and his siblings had separated. Poe was then taken in by John and Frances Allan. Though he and Frances adored one another, Poe and John’s relationship was always volatile. Poe attended the University of Virginia for a short time but was forced to leave when John stopped paying his tuition because of Poe’s gambling debts. Poe then entered the army under a false name. After two years and achieving the rank of sergeant major for artillery, he went to his commanding officer and confessed his true name in an attempt to leave his commitment early. The commanding officer told Poe that he would help him leave if he would reconcile with John. Poe visited the Allans in February 1829 after the death of Frances. He received John’s support to leave the army if he would seek an appointment to West Point. Poe entered West Point in 1830, but after a falling out with John over his second marriage and a disagreement about John’s illegitimate children, Poe purposely got himself kicked out of West Point by getting court-martialed. In 1831, Poe’s brother, Henry, died from complications of his alcohol addiction.

In 1835, Poe married his first cousin, Virginia Eliza Clemm. Poe was 26, and Virginia was 13. In January 1842, Virginia began to exhibit signs of tuberculosis. That same month, Poe published “The Raven” and enjoyed fame for the first time. Virginia died in January 1847. After her death, Poe courted fellow poet Sarah Helen Whitman, but their engagement came to an end. Poe then began courting a former fiancée, Sarah Elmira Royster.

Poe died under mysterious circumstances in 1849. He was found on the streets of Baltimore, confused and wearing clothing that did not belong to him. Poe was unable to communicate what had happened to him, and he “spent his final days wavering between fits of delirium, gripped by visual hallucinations” (Geiling, Natasha. “The (Still) Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe.” Smithsonian, 7 Oct. 2014). He was taken to Washington Medical College, where he reportedly called out the name “Reynolds” several times (Geiling). It was reported at the time that Poe died of congestion of the brain or cerebral inflammation. However, his medical records, including his death certificate, went missing, and modern medical detectives still argue over Poe’s potential cause of death.

With “The Raven” as Nate Bennett’s favorite poem, McFadden draws on Poe’s gothic style to help set the tone of The Teacher. Gothic literature, characterized by its eerie atmosphere and exploration of the darker aspects of human nature, directly influenced the development of psychological thrillers, which delve deeper into characters’ inner turmoil and psychological complexities. “The Cask of Amontillado” and “The Tell-tale Heart” are good examples of Poe’s work that rely on psychological manipulation and fear. McFadden draws not only on “The Raven” but also on Poe’s gothic style in The Teacher, which fits comfortably within the genre of psychological thriller, as it is rich in plot twists, psychological manipulation, moral ambiguity, and suspense.