POE AS AN EDUCATION

I never went to college. Well, one semester at junior college but that doesn't count. I just barely got my high school diploma. But I would not consider myself undereducated. I think there are a lot of circumstances that keep people from staying in school, doing well in school, and/or furthering their education. The reasons are endless and legitimate, but that is a whole other issue.

My point is, it doesn't mean it has to be an end to one's education. I believe that every person has significant curiosity and ability to improve themselves no matter what their situation. The way I do it is by reading. I read stuff I like, and I read stuff I feel I need to know. I feel if someone makes a reference to Dickens' "Tale of Two Cities", for instance, I should know what the heck they are talking about. It's a classic. But I haven't read it yet. It's like not knowing all the state capitals; it's embarrassing.

But I improve little by little all the time. When I read 'The Raven' for English class in seventh grade, I didn't 'get it'. Then about 5 years later, I stayed up late with my sister and we decided to read it out loud, for lack of a better thing to do and MY GOD!!! I was knocked flat by this piece of work. I don't have to tell you; you know! The intricacy, the form, the story, the beauty of the sound of the words. Oh my; I was hooked.

That was when my thirst for knowledge, especially of the classics and of the nuances of the English language began. I read all the Poe I could get my hands on, and I spent a lot of time doing it, too. But ya know; there were a lot, and I mean A LOT, of words in there that I didn't know. So I thought, "I'm not doing myself a BIT of good by reading this stuff and passing by these words." So I read 'The Raven' and wrote down every word I didn't know as I came to it. I still have that list somewhere. On it were the words 'quaff' 'nepenthe', 'pallor', 'pallid'... and on and on. There were about 15 of them. But I looked them up and reread the poem and I have never forgotten the meanings of those words. Because I WANTED to know. I didn't HAVE to know for a grade or something.

Now I use a lot of those words in my everyday speech. And I'm always expanding. My fiance laughs whenever I come across a word I don't know and look it up IMMEDIATELY. But, I HAVE to know.

Thus, it doesn't matter what they want you to know in school; if you need to know it, you'll learn it. In my opinion, Poe was the best teacher I ever had.

-Sherry Dedman-Sherritt

Back to Bum's The Word...