Most Influential Author in the World Edgar Allen Poe uses layered irony and complex symbolism in his short stories and poems in order to take his readers on a whirlwind of elaborate, captivating and suspenseful journeys. Poe was born on January 19, 1809, in Boston, Massachusetts. His childhood was depressing and disheartening. His parents died before he was three years old and John and Frances Allan raised him as a foster child. John Allan was a prosperous tobacco exporter, so he was able to send Poe to the best boarding schools and later to the University of Virginia. Poe excelled academically throughout all of his schooling. When he grew up, he married his cousin Virginia who later died from tuberculosis in 1847. After this, Poe’s depression and alcoholism worsened. On October 3, 1849, he was found in a state of semi-consciousness and died four days later. As a reflection of his childhood, Poe’s writing has a gloomy and grave mood. Some of Poe’s well known works are, The Fall of The House of Usher, The Raven, Tell-Tale Heart, The Cask of Amontillado and Annabel Lee. Poe introduced a new style to America’s literature which is now known as gothic fiction. Poe uses layered irony to challenge his readers to deconstruct his writing. In the short story, The Cask of Amontillado Poe uses verbal irony to emphasize the character’s actions. Montresor says “Herein is the Amontillado. As for Luchesi—” “He is an ignoramus,” interrupted my friend (Poe 120). Poe uses verbal irony here