Tim Burton vs. Edgar Allan Poe: Twisted Humor and Twisted Somber
Tim Burton and Edgar Allan Poe are arguably two of the greatest American-born writers known for their dark, gothic, and horror-esque oevre. Along with their nearly identical style of writing come some significant differences. Both include an eery tone in their writing, however, Burton's work generally has a more quirky approach as to Poe's ominous manner. It's easy to identify a film directed by Tim Burton: black and white pinstripes, grotesque characters, and a Halloween themed setting. In addition to these details, Burton tends to reflect the story line on society. He does this by focusing the plot on a misunderstood character, and their struggles of fitting in. Characters
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In his short story The Tell Tale Heart, the old man's "evil eye" is the focus of the story. The eye is a symbol of the narrator's inability to recognize the old man's identity. This is proven when the narrator claims he could "see nothing else of the old man's face". Poe mentions eyes again in Ligeia. Ligeia's eyes are big, mysterious, and hard to understand. Though they seem supernatural, the narrator is mesmerized by them. Eyes as a symbol play a role in Tim Burton's movies as well. In Corpse Bride, Emily frequently loses her eye. This shows that her character is often oblivious to her surroundings, and overlooks several things without realizing its importance. Shown in both Poe's The Raven and Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas, birds of ebony, such as crows and ravens, symbolize death and foreshadow unpleasant events in the near future. Poe uses the bird symbolism again in Tell Tale Heart, describing the old man's "vulture" eye. Though he uses the word to describe the eye, he is actually subconsciously describing himself. He, like a vulture, stalked his prey, and watched from a distance before swooping in and attacking him. Altogether, both writers have several underlying symbols in their work, which end up being very critical details in the