Syntax And Diction In The Narrative Of Edgar Allen Poe

Register to read the introduction… This idea is expanded upon in the third sentence as Poe use specific styles of syntax to illustrate his own disbelief. Two styles are seen when he states "Yet, mad am I not- and surely do I not dream". Poe constructs the wording of this sentence backwards- instead of I am not mad, it's mad am I not- showing a contradiction to what the sentence says. Wording the sentence backwards makes the reader think the opposite of what the sentence actually says; he is mad, he is dreaming. Signs of disbelief are again shown by this unique sentence structuring for when you read the sentence, it sounds more like a question than a statement- do I not dream? Poe's use of syntax and diction continues on as he illustrates how his unbelievable horrors might just seem normal to a more ‘calm and logical person'. The whole style of the passage, although showing the contradiction of Poe saying the narrative to be horrific to him stating that it might be "baroque" to normal people, gives the reader a feel that Poe isn't normal. This whole style of writing the passage captures the reader's attention in the beginning but settles them down at the end with logical …show more content…
The first line gives an image of something that is unbelievable and horrible. The following sentences makes Poe look like a mental case for he's experienced events that even his "senses reject evidence"; he doesn't even know if he is mad or if he is dreaming; evidence of his past is a blur, and it makes the reader view him as a trauma case; someone that is not normal. Although the images of Poe being mental and abnormal stays, his is demystified a bit when he presents logic in saying that others might not see his experiences as being so horrible. The crazy images settle down a bit towards the end of the passage, setting the reader up for the idea that he is not a normal person (which will soon help in his