Deception And Self-deception Theme In Allan Poe's Tales Of Humor

Edgar Ellen Poe, one of the greatest American writers, is famous for his short stories. Among the four categories of his tales, the tales of humor is the main concentration here. The present thesis examines the basic varieties of the deception theme from eighteen tales of humor by Poe. The present author categorizes the deception themes in two types that shall be illustrated in two chapters.One type of the deceptions is a conscious choice of the hoaxer; this is the externally directed deception, with the hoaxer choosing another person as his victim. The hoaxer deceives other people in forms of language hoax and practical joke in order to achieve his goals of gain or revenge. And the other type of deception is unconscious, and the hoaxer directs his hoax inwardly. The hoaxer and his own victim is the same person. He is so perceptive and intelligent that he could not be a victim of another person's conscious deception. He is no ordinary victim. Therefore, this figure provides his own answers, which are ultimately deception. So the present author names it self-deception. Accordingly, Freud's theory—"consciousness and unconsciousness" can just be applied in the thesis as the theoretical basis.After examining Poe's tales of humor, the reader would understand Poe's mockery of his society and recognize his attitude towards human nature and mind. To him, most men are disgusting, ugly creatures pursuing mean and trivial goals; they are trapped inside their own obsessions, with no possibility of escape, which offers the evidence that Poe has his moral principles and he is not amoral at all. Edgar Ellen Poe, one of the greatest American writers, is famous for his short stories. Among the four categories of his tales, the tales of humor is the main concentration here. The present thesis examines the basic varieties of the deception theme from eighteen tales of humor by Poe.. The present author categorizes the deception themes in two types that shall be illustrated in two chapters.One type of the deceptions is a conscious choice of the hoaxer; this is the externally directed deception, with the hoaxer choosing another person as his victim. The hoaxer deceives other people in forms of language hoax and practical joke in order to achieve his goals of gain or revenge. And the other type of deception is unconscious, and the hoaxer directs his hoax inwardly. The hoaxer and his own victim is the same person. He is so perceptive and intelligent that he could not be a victim of another person's conscious deception. He is no ordinary victim. Therefore, this figure provides his own answers, which are ultimately deception. So the present author names it self-deception. Accordingly, Freud's theory—"consciousness and unconsciousness" can just be applied in the thesis as the theoretical basis.After examining Poe's tales of humor, the reader would understand Poe's mockery of his society and recognize his attitude towards human nature and mind. To him, most men are disgusting, ugly creatures pursuing mean and trivial goals; they are trapped inside their own obsessions, with no possibility of escape, which offers the evidence that Poe has his moral principles and he is not amoral at all.