Poe’s place in history is one of uttermost importance, particularly as pertaining to the literary world. At least four influential achievements of American literature are attributed to Edgar Allan Poe: the first major American literary critic, the initial master of gothic horror, the first science fiction writer, and, of course, the inventor of the first modern detective story. During the first few decades of the 19th century, “puffery”--when a reviewer knows the author that they are critiquing and tends to give biased and dishonest reviews in order to boost the author’s sales--was a common practice in reviews of literature. Poe was one of the first to speak out against this in America. Specifically, Poe was known for his extremely harsh, biting reviews of popular authors and his loathing of plagiarism and imitation in stories. One of his favorite targets was Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who was one of the most beloved poets of Poe’s time. Through his severe reviews, Poe made a lot of enemies, but he also had the opportunity to describe his definition of a short story. Along his guidelines include important points such as originality, tone, and passion, but what he seems to deem most important is the underlying compulsion of feeling. In The Philosophy of Composition, he wrote that authors should always ask themselves, “Of the in-numerable effects, or impressions, of which the heart or the soul is susceptible, what one shall I, on the present occasion select?” (Nayef). In other words, what emotion should be thrust upon readers? This distinct “impression” should be present in subliminal elements throughout the work. This characteristic of writing is found within almost all of Poe’s work and is in fact what he is most well-known for, which leads to the next point. Poe’s writing moved gothic tales out of the medieval castle and into the home (which is where the heart is!). For example, both “The Black Cat” and “The Tell-Tale Heart” are set in the homes of the average guy, which is how Poe’s stories get truly gripping. Ordinary men driven to madness, often by their own guilt, self-indulgence, or obsession are repeatedly featured in Poe’s stories. If ever asked to point out what exactly made Poe worthy of the title “master of macabre”, one simply extends their knowledgeable forefinger to one word--”psychology.” Poe’s words have this certain way about them; they crawl up all under the skin and linger there for quite a long while. His stories were not the typical run-of-the-mill ghost, monster, or vampire stories. No, they were much better--they didn’t often feature any supernatural beings (sorry, Twilight fans) but rather ran thick in rivers of psychological terror. Poe knew exactly what buttons to push on that inborn fear board that all humans have, and he went at it like a raven goes for a broody, dark-haired man’s sanity. He went outside of the box because most other authors of his time attempted to show some moral messages or tried to prove something, while Poe wrote only for emotion. As H.P. Lovecraft puts it, “Poe was the interpreter of powerful feelings and frequent happenings which attend pain rather than pleasure, decay rather than growth, terror rather than tranquility, and which are fundamentally either adverse or indifferent to the tastes and traditional outward sentiments of mankind, and to the health, sanity, and normal expansive welfare of the species” ("Poe's Literary Contributions"). This changed America by making literature much more relatable to the readers, even going so far as to cause a psychological impact. For perhaps the first time, readers deeply thought about the themes behind the stories and how they relate to the world, which in turn leads to a much more intelligent America. Poe was also known for pushing literary boundaries. One way in which he successfully did this was by creating the science fiction genre. Poe used realistic scientific details to make the stories more relatable and believable. For example, “Hans Phaall, A Tale” gave the story of a man’s trip to the moon (and is written in the 1800s), and “The Facts in the Case of M. Vademar,” which was about a doctor who was able to communicate with a man whose body had already died, was so realistic that it was reprinted in a medical journal. Furthermore, Poe once wrote a report on a man who crossed the Atlantic in a balloon, decades before it was possible. New Yorkers had rushed to buy the paper until Poe revealed that he had fooled them all. This “Balloon Hoax,” as it is now known, is perhaps one of the most notable exemplars of Poe’s realistic writing. Finally, Poe was the father of the mystery genre. This was something truly original, because no one had ever thought to use crime as the plot of a fictional story before. Poe’s short story, “Murders in the Rue Morgue” was the very first detective story, and “The Mystery of Marie Roget” was the first story based on a true crime. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of the famous Sherlock Holmes series, said, “Where was the detective story before Poe breathed the breath of life into it?” ("Poe's Literary Contributions"). Poe’s detective stories created a prototype for future mystery writers, in which seemingly impossible crimes are solved by a witty, brilliant detective who uses clues to solve the scene. Consequently, Poe was the first pioneer in this area and his legacy there has lasted forever. As a final point, I would like to add that there is no specific event that Poe influenced. Poe’s lifework has gone on to influence H.P. Lovecraft (“The Call of Cthulhu”), Stephen King (Carrie, It, The Shining), Alfred Hitchcock (Psycho, The Birds) and Dario Argento (Suspiria, Dracula) to name a few. Several awards in his name are given out to novelists and horror specialists alike, such as the Mystery Writers of America’s “Edgar statuette” award. Thanks to him, literature went from dry and boring to exciting and terrifying. More directly related to our world today, I speculate that Poe changed all of time and space as we know it because he completely innovated popular culture. Where would we be without horror and mystery? Our lives would be plain, monotonous, and mundane. Instead, they are electrifying and breathtaking. And for that, Mr. Poe, we thank you.