Thank You, Mr. Poe:
Poe’s Literary Presence in Preston
and Child's Detective Pendergast Series
Few artists remain culturally relevant 175 years after their works are
published, and only the really great ones obtain pop culture status, existing in
multiple facets of contemporary society’s consciousness. Edgar Allan Poe’s
legacy is evident in many outlets of today’s pop culture stratosphere. Movie
media was one of the first areas to continually revive Poe’s legacy; according to
AP writer Ben Nuckols, “Filmmakers adapt him and reference him constantly.
Poe’s listing on the Internet Movie Database would shame the most prolific
screenwriter. Films have been adapted from his work in every decade since the
1900s.” Musicians also sought inspiration from the dark master with artists like
the Grateful Dead, Alan Parson’s Project, Joan Baez, and even Britney Spears
giving props to Poe in their music and in their performances. Baltimore’s
football team was named The Ravens in honor of his most famous piece of
writing. The Simpsons television show recreated “The Raven”; and an episode of
the current television show The Gilmour Girls focused on Poe’s writing.
Writers are also hugely indebted to Poe’s literary contributions; again Ben
Nuckols explains, “Arthur Conan Doyle acknowledged Poe’s influence, as did
H.P. Lovecraft. Stephen King continues to prove the timeless and widespread
appeal of the themes Poe explored.” These are just a few examples of Poe’s
evidence in pop culture; however, one impressive demonstration of his legacy
can be found in Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child’s Detective Pendergast
series of books. What specific elements would make successful writers like
Preston and Child repeatedly pay homage to Poe in their New York Times best
selling series of books?
Because of the dire conditions found in the human condition which seem
never to change, Poe’s writing is still relevant to contemporary authors, which
could be why these famous writers look to Poe’s stories to enhance their own
writing. Edgar Allan Poe is known mostly for his tales of horror derived from
the Gothic tradition, using dreary scenery and often violent scenes of death to
explore the deepest fears buried in man’s psyche. His most notable horror tales
include, “The Cask of Amontillado,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Fall of the
House of Usher,” “Masque of the Red Death,” and “The Black Cat.” Also, Poe
is often credited with the invention of the modem detective story due to his
creation of the detective Auguste Dupin and his method of ratiocination, a
combination of logic and intuition, used to solve mysterious crimes, as
introduced in the tale “Murders in the Rue Morgue.” While each of these two
genres of writing possesses its own unique characteristics, Poe sometimes
includes elements of horror fiction in his detective stories to produce a very