When reading Edgar Allen Poe short story, The Facts in The Case of M. Valdemar, I see that word choice and imagery play a key role in the short story. When reading the story, I quickly notice in the beginning paragraphs that word choice will be a big role in the story. In the beginning paragraphs Poe uses the word mesmerize many of times. When using this word, Poe most likely meant for it to give a more calming feeling towards the story. He uses the word so that it catches your eye when reading and makes you think more comical. He could have used other, more of a darker word to get the point across but kept mesmerize so that a lighter feeling would still be there. Poe also could have used a rougher more scientific word other than a word usually referred only when dealing with magic. He even uses the word later in the story and the same meaning behind why he uses it still stays.

 If you also look at the way Poe doesn’t say any of the doctor’s name in his short story you get another feeling.  Throughout the entirety of the story you see that Poe never says the names of the doctors, just one letter for each of their names. He does this so the story gets a mystery feeling to it. Maybe he says this so that you see that this was more of a secret thing and not something that’s supposed to be let out. Poe also could have done this in order so that us as a reader have to think more into the story. Poe also could have not stated their names in order for you to focus on the story at hand other than the characters in it. Later when Poe adds the character, “L”, the way he doesn’t state his name still implies. 

Throughout the story, Poe also uses the word sleep many of times as well. When using this word, Poe usually wrote it towards Valdemar. He used this word many of times when talking about Valdemar before he died, or when Valdemar spoke as well. Poe used this word so that it could replace other more morbid words. When the narrator spoke to Valdemar, he used the word sleep a lot. Poe did this so that you could tell that they were not trying to scare Valdemar before his death. Later when he uses the word, he uses it in order to give another word other than death. Poe changes the use of the word in order to give off a lighter touch to a very morbid story. Other times though the word simply is just as it’s said, and only means sleeping. 

Other than looking at word choice, the way Poe used imagery really caught my eye when reading the text. The way he would describes what he is doing throughout the story with such great detail that you truly do picture what’s going on. When describing a simple action, Poe even tends to give the greatest of details towards that action. You get a clear image of the action that’s taken place when Valdemar comes to Poe and when Poe begins his experiment. Poe does this in a way so that you don’t misinterpret what he truly means to say. Poe goes on to describe other actions on how he mesmerizes Valdemar and gets really in detail on what’s going on. Poe wants to give a very descriptive action so that you know exactly what the narrator is doing to Valdemar during the experiment. The way Poe goes on to describe every action that takes place makes you imagine it actually happening, and you can truly picture it every time. 

In another way Poe uses imagery is when he describes the surroundings and where this all takes place. He goes so in depth into where they are and gives a clear view of where this all takes place. He gives the exact image in your head and you’re able to see what is being described. Poe does this in such a way that you can picture exactly where they are and what is in the surroundings. Poe most likely describes the setting the way he does so you do get a mad scientist feeling when reading his story. Poe wants us to be a part of his stories when he writes so he wrote this story so that we can actually imagine being placed in this setting. Poe gives us a clear view of what the setting looks like maybe so that we don’t miss understand what the setting truly looks like.

Poe also gives great imagery on body details and how one looks during this short story. If you look into how he describes Valdemar and what ends up happening to him, you begin to see how good Poe is at imagery. Poe gives you a very detailed description on what Valdemar body goes through and you can clearly imagine what it looks like through his imagery. The way he describes his body in the end with it turning into liquid, your able to honestly see that in your own mind because of the way Poe writes. When you first get a description of Valdemar you get a feel of that he is truly dying. When he actually goes through the entire process of his death and decomposition, your able to imagine what his body looks like and gives off a grotesque look.

If you look at the way Poe used his word choice and as well his imagery, you get a clear feeling of the story. you see that he wanted a calm yet morbid story where you can actually feel as well as see everything that takes place. He uses words that give you mystery and make you question. Yet gives us beautiful descriptions that give us the full morbid taste of the story. So, by looking at word choice and imagery, you see that mystery yet morbid feeling to his story in order to keep us thinking yet keep us entertained throughout the writing. 
