"Doings of Gotham" by Edgar Allan Poe

Aim: How does Poem exhibit his critic's capacity for fastidious underpraise and acerbic judgments , as well as his meandering curiosity in the essay "Doings of Gotham"?

Do Now: In your journals, describe a few things you are dissatisfied with New York City or your neighborhood. Explain why.

Procedure:

1. Share our "Complaint List" in class.
2. Glossary-please look the following new vocabulary words:

• Pungent
• Fastidious
• Acerbic :acid in temper, mood, or tone adj.
• Meandering
• Cavalier
• Bafflement
• Dint
• Epistle :n. a :letter especially : a formal or elegant letter b : a composition in the form of a letter
• inMedias Res :in or into the middle of a narrative or plot adv.
• Indeterminate :not definitely or precisely determined or fixed adj.
• Porphyro genitus : hereditary abnormalities of porphyrin
• Cognizant :knowledgeable of something especially through personal experience; also : MINDFUL adj.
• Malcontent :discontented person n.

  dissatisfied with the existing state of affairs : DISCONTENTED  adj

• Avowed :to declare assuredly v.
• Shanties :a small crudely built dwelling or shelter usually of wood
• Squatters :one that settles on property without right or title or payment of rent
• Tabernacles :a house of worship; specifically : a large building or tent used for evangelistic services
• Portico :porch: a colonnade or covered ambulatory especially in classical architecture and often at the entrance of a building
• Bramble :a rough prickly shrub or vine
• Decrepitude :the quality or state of being decrepit-old
• Acrid :sharp and harsh or unpleasantly pungent in taste or odor; deeply or violently bitter
• Desecrated
• Portentous :self-consciously solemn or important; ponderously excessive; something that foreshadows a coming event
• Rusticity
• Chicanery :deception by artful subterfuge or sophistry : TRICKERY n.
• Proscription : to publish the name of as condemned to death with the property of the condemned forfeited to the state; to condemn or forbid as harmful or unlawful
• Sauve qui peut
• Emolument :he returns arising from office or employment usually in the form of compensation or perquisites
  2 archaic : ADVANTAGE
• Peculations :to appropriate (as property entrusted to one's care) fraudulently to one's own use
  - em·bez·zle·ment
• Perpetration :to bring about or carry out (as a crime or deception) : COMMIT
• Rifacimento
• Nugatory :of little or no consequence : TRIFLING, INCONSEQUENTIAL
• Prospectu :something (as a statement or situation) that forecasts the course or nature of something
• Rabble :a disorganized or confused collection of things
• Credulity /Incredulity
• Jeu d'esprit : a witty comment or composition n.
• Truism
• Profundity :intellectual depth b : something profound or abstruse
• Accrue :to come into existence as a legally enforceable claim
  2 a : to come about as a natural growth, increase, or advantage
• Iniquity :gross injustice : WICKEDNESS
• Inexpedient :not advisable
• Impunity :exemption or freedom from punishment, harm, or loss
• Procured :to get possession of : obtain by particular care and effort v.
• Skiff :any of various small boats; especially : a flat-bottomed rowboat
• Fete :a large elaborate party n.
• Qui vive :long live who; ALERT, LOOKOUT
• Roue :a man devoted to a life of sensual pleasure : RAKE
• Misanthrope :a person who hates or distrusts mankind
• Knicknackatory: a small trivial article usually intended for ornament n.
• Osier: a willow rod used in basketry
• Salubrity :favorable to or promoting health or well-being
  synonym see HEALTHFUL
• Frieze :a heavy durable coarse wool and shoddy fabric with a rough surface
  a sculptured or richly ornamented band (as on a building or piece of furniture)
• Cupola :a rounded vault resting on a usually circular base and forming a roof or a ceiling b : a small structure built on top of a roof
• Consign :to give over to another's care
  2 : to give, transfer, or deliver into the hands or control of another; also : to commit especially to a final destination or fate <a writer consigned to oblivion>
• Contrivance: DEVISE, PLAN <contrive ways of handling the situation> b : to form or create in an artistic or ingenious manner
• Tintamarres
• Leathern
• Stere atomic : solid : solid body <stereogram>
  2 a : stereoscopic <stereopsis> b : having or dealing with three dimensions of space <
• Hydropathy :the empirical use of water in the treatment of disease
• Charlatans :one making usually showy pretenses to knowledge or ability : FRAUD, FAKER
• Appertain :to belong or be connected as a rightful part or attribute : PERTAIN
• Rigmarole :confused or meaningless talk;a complex and ritualistic procedure
• Collateral :accompanying as secondary or subordinate
• Swerving :to turn aside abruptly from a straight line or course : DEVIATE
• Slough :a place of deep mud or mire b (1) : SWAMP (2) : an inlet on a river;

2. Discuss the following questions based on the essay-

• Why does he complain about New Yorkers spoiling Brooklyn?
• How does he describe the people who lived in Brooklyn?
• How did he portray the picture of a "quite perfect picture of s Brooklynite 'Villa'"?
• What else did he complain about the city besides its look?
• According to Poe, why is Kyanized wood is the best solution to all the problems?
• What faults did Poe point out about the court system?

Homework Assignment #5

Part I: Write a Dear Abbey letter in which you explain to her some problems you often experience living in NYC.

Part II: Pretend you are Abbey and write a response back to help him/her solve the problem.