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1			Do the unusual details of Edgar Allan Poe's life influence the way you read his story, "The Black Cat"? This link will tell you a true story of a man who secretly visits Poe's grave and leaves the same series of mementos each time he pays his respects. What do you think inspires such an offering? Does anything about "The Toaster"- as the stranger is called-remind you of any aspects of the story, "The Black Cat," or other Poe stories you may have encountered?
2			Read this BBC article on the possibility of the singer/songwriter Michael Jackson playing the role of Edgar Allan Poe in a movie about the last week before Poe's death. Can you envision what such a movie would explore? Imagine that you were writing a scene in the script, incorporating some of the horror elements present in "The Black Cat." What features might you develop in your screenplay that could be described as "Poesque"?