How do the tones and settings of Poe's stories affect the readers response to the characters ?

So as to define a few terms for others who may benefit
from this question and answer, I need to first define the term "reader
response".

Reader response is a critical approach, based
upon subjective thought (influenced by ones feelings, tastes, and/or opinions), in which
the reader's interpretation and analysis is more heavily considered over that of the
author's intent for the work.

This being said, reader
response is defined simply through how a reader interprets a text, how they feel reading
a text, and what the meaning of the text is for them.

Given
that the work of Edgar Allan Poe has been defined by his texts (which are filled with
images of death, premature burials, and mental instabilities), Poe, himself, is renowned
for the bizarre life he led which adds to the mystery and intreague of his
stories.

As for his texts, Poe embedded imagery dark and
mysterious characters, murderous plots, fear, revenge, and supernatural events and
apparitions. Through this, Poe is able to twist his works into pieces which fill the
mind with all that is morbid and grotesque.

Poe's use of
setting is important for reader response. If Poe succeeds at painting a picture whihc
evokes images of haunted castles, abandoned places, and darkened passageways for the
reader, he has succeeded at his purpose: to frighten the
reader.

Poe's use of tone is perhaps even more important
than that of the setting. It is through his setting, characterizations, and plans of
revenge or murder which support the tone to depict the fear-evoking and anxiety-building
a reader should feel when reading Poe's works.