Question
what would be textual evidence from the arcticle The Life of Edgar Allan Poe would I use to investigate
Answers
Answered by
GPT-5 mini
I can help — but first: what exactly are you trying to investigate about Poe (a thesis or research question)? For example: his childhood, why he struggled with alcohol, how his life influenced his stories, the cause of his death, or how critics responded to him. Tell me that and I can pull/select evidence for you.
Meanwhile, here’s a practical plan and examples of the kinds of textual evidence to look for in an article titled “The Life of Edgar Allan Poe.”
1. Decide the specific claim or question you’re investigating
- Examples: “Poe’s difficult childhood shaped his themes of loss,” or “Poe’s death was mysterious and suspicious,” or “Poe struggled with poverty throughout his life,” or “Poe’s critics misunderstood his intent.”
2. Types of textual evidence to collect
- Direct factual statements (dates, places, relationships): use for establishing chronology or facts.
- Example to look for: sentences that state birth/death dates, names of parents/guardian, marriage details.
- Quotations that describe events or behavior (e.g., “he drank heavily,” “he gambled away earnings”).
- Use to support claims about habits/cause-effect.
- Author’s interpretations or analysis (e.g., “this loss influenced the recurring theme of death”).
- Use to show how the article connects life events to Poe’s work.
- Primary-source excerpts cited in the article (letters, diary entries, contemporaries’ accounts).
- Strong evidence because it’s directly from the time.
- Descriptions of reception and legacy (reviews, contemporary criticism).
- Use to support claims about public/critical reaction.
- Language/tone the article uses (emphatic verbs, adjectives like “tragic,” “mysterious”).
- Useful if you’re investigating the article’s bias or perspective.
3. How to record each piece of evidence (a short template)
- Quote (with quotation marks)
- Page or paragraph number (or URL)
- Paraphrase in your own words
- Why it supports your claim (one sentence)
4. Example investigative questions and the evidence you’d seek
- If investigating “Poe’s childhood influenced his themes of loss”:
- Look for: quotes about the deaths of his parents, being taken in by the Allans, early poverty, any direct link the article makes between those losses and Poe’s fiction.
- Example hypothetical quote to collect: “After the death of his mother when he was three, Poe spent much of his childhood longing for parental affection...” — note where article connects that to themes.
- If investigating “Poe struggled with alcoholism and it affected his career”:
- Look for: statements about drinking habits, contemporaries’ reports, career setbacks that coincide with drinking, and any cautious language (e.g., “alleged” vs. “documented”).
- If investigating “Poe’s death is mysterious”:
- Look for: descriptions of his final days, reports of his being found in delirium, differing theories quoted (alcohol-related, disease, foul play), and any primary-source quotes from witnesses or doctors.
- If investigating “Poe’s critical reception”:
- Look for: contemporary reviews quoted, statements like “critics praised/attacked his style,” and later reevaluations.
5. Tips for strong evidence
- Prefer primary-source quotes and direct factual statements for factual claims.
- For interpretive claims (cause-effect, influence), collect both the article’s claim and supporting details it uses (dates, letters, patterns).
- Note hedging language: “may have,” “possibly,” “alleged” — these tell you how certain the article is.
- If the article cites sources, note them — you can follow up on those primary/secondary sources.
If you paste the passage or tell me your research question, I’ll highlight specific lines from the article you can use as textual evidence and explain how each supports your investigation.
Meanwhile, here’s a practical plan and examples of the kinds of textual evidence to look for in an article titled “The Life of Edgar Allan Poe.”
1. Decide the specific claim or question you’re investigating
- Examples: “Poe’s difficult childhood shaped his themes of loss,” or “Poe’s death was mysterious and suspicious,” or “Poe struggled with poverty throughout his life,” or “Poe’s critics misunderstood his intent.”
2. Types of textual evidence to collect
- Direct factual statements (dates, places, relationships): use for establishing chronology or facts.
- Example to look for: sentences that state birth/death dates, names of parents/guardian, marriage details.
- Quotations that describe events or behavior (e.g., “he drank heavily,” “he gambled away earnings”).
- Use to support claims about habits/cause-effect.
- Author’s interpretations or analysis (e.g., “this loss influenced the recurring theme of death”).
- Use to show how the article connects life events to Poe’s work.
- Primary-source excerpts cited in the article (letters, diary entries, contemporaries’ accounts).
- Strong evidence because it’s directly from the time.
- Descriptions of reception and legacy (reviews, contemporary criticism).
- Use to support claims about public/critical reaction.
- Language/tone the article uses (emphatic verbs, adjectives like “tragic,” “mysterious”).
- Useful if you’re investigating the article’s bias or perspective.
3. How to record each piece of evidence (a short template)
- Quote (with quotation marks)
- Page or paragraph number (or URL)
- Paraphrase in your own words
- Why it supports your claim (one sentence)
4. Example investigative questions and the evidence you’d seek
- If investigating “Poe’s childhood influenced his themes of loss”:
- Look for: quotes about the deaths of his parents, being taken in by the Allans, early poverty, any direct link the article makes between those losses and Poe’s fiction.
- Example hypothetical quote to collect: “After the death of his mother when he was three, Poe spent much of his childhood longing for parental affection...” — note where article connects that to themes.
- If investigating “Poe struggled with alcoholism and it affected his career”:
- Look for: statements about drinking habits, contemporaries’ reports, career setbacks that coincide with drinking, and any cautious language (e.g., “alleged” vs. “documented”).
- If investigating “Poe’s death is mysterious”:
- Look for: descriptions of his final days, reports of his being found in delirium, differing theories quoted (alcohol-related, disease, foul play), and any primary-source quotes from witnesses or doctors.
- If investigating “Poe’s critical reception”:
- Look for: contemporary reviews quoted, statements like “critics praised/attacked his style,” and later reevaluations.
5. Tips for strong evidence
- Prefer primary-source quotes and direct factual statements for factual claims.
- For interpretive claims (cause-effect, influence), collect both the article’s claim and supporting details it uses (dates, letters, patterns).
- Note hedging language: “may have,” “possibly,” “alleged” — these tell you how certain the article is.
- If the article cites sources, note them — you can follow up on those primary/secondary sources.
If you paste the passage or tell me your research question, I’ll highlight specific lines from the article you can use as textual evidence and explain how each supports your investigation.
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