Question

Before there were horror movies, there was the writing of Edgar Allan Poe. Poe’s horror and mystery tales are unrivaled in American fiction. Born in 1809, Poe lived a life that was as odd and as difficult as his writing. It was not until 1845 that he really drew attention with his fiction. This was when Poe published his poem “The Raven,” which was about loss and death. To this day, the poem is considered his greatest literary work. Still, the poem’s success only earned the writer $9. It failed to open other opportunities for him.

Edgar Allan Poe was mostly unsuccessful as a writer during his lifetime. However, his writing is widely known, published, and read today. He is seen as one of the major forces in American Gothic literature. He is also credited with creating the literary form detective fiction. His detective short story “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” was the first of its kind. Today, millions of high school and college students read and study Poe’s poetry and short stories. They never cease to shock and surprise readers.


Questions
What can be inferred about Edgar Allan Poe from the passage?

Poe was a well-known writer during his lifetime.

Poe did not make much money from writing during his lifetime.

His final words were, “Help my poor soul.”

Poe often wrote with a cat on his shoulder.

Answer 1

From the passage, it can be inferred that "Poe did not make much money from writing during his lifetime." The text specifically mentions that despite the success of "The Raven," it only earned him $9 and that he was mostly unsuccessful as a writer during his lifetime. The other options are not supported by the passage.