by Abigail Grossman

People get together to enjoy a range of autumn festivities every year. One of the most enduring activities is the sharing of spooky stories. Who has not gathered around a fire with family and friends to share terrifying tales of ghosts and ghouls?

With Halloween close at hand, if you’re looking for a perfect scary story to tell, look no further than Edgar Allan Poe, one of the all-time best writers of horror. “The Black Cat,” one of his most famous works, was published in 1843. From his jail cell, the narrator recounts his descent into madness. As the story progresses, they reveal how they were caught for the devious crimes that landed them in prison. Although it may seem like a simple tale of a criminal’s lament, the story is much more complex. Poe includes elements of murder, mystery, and even magic, leaving readers on the edge of their seats with every line. For these reasons and more, “The Black Cat” makes for the perfect spooky story to share with loved ones this Halloween.

That said, there are many other horror tales by Poe that are worth sharing as well, including “The Cask of Amontillado” and “The Tell-Tale Heart.” Read these tales at your own risk, though, because they will be sure to haunt you!

On a related note, our university’s very own FreshBaked Theatre Company is performing Poe! Poe! Poe!, a play by Kathryn Schultz Miller. Public shows are on November 9th and 15th in the Alumni Auditorium on Widener’s main campus. The production is free to attend, but any donations will support charity groups in Chester, Pennsylvania. Quoth the raven: “We hope to see you there!”