* Mimicry of the Creative Process (Ironically): The essay purports to meticulously detail the conscious, logical steps Poe took to create "The Raven." This is ironic because it presents a highly structured, rational account of a process that is inherently intuitive and creative. The very act of trying to dissect and explain artistic creation in a logical expository manner highlights the inherent impossibility of fully explaining artistic inspiration. The form, therefore, underscores the gap between the rational explanation and the mysterious process of artistic creation.
* Building Credibility (Through Apparent Authority): The expository form lends an air of authority and intellectual rigor. By presenting his argument in a structured, step-by-step fashion, Poe enhances his credibility as a writer and theorist. He appears to be meticulously laying out a demonstrable process, even though the inherent subjectivity of artistic creation makes this impossible to fully verify.
* Detailed Analysis & Argumentation: The expository essay allows Poe to methodically argue for specific choices he made in the poem, such as meter, rhyme scheme, and the choice of the raven as a symbol. This form facilitates a detailed analysis of his creative decisions, making the essay appear more convincing, even if his claims are ultimately debatable.
* Engagement with Reader Expectations: In Poe's time, literary criticism was often less rigorous and more impressionistic. By employing the formal structure of an expository essay, Poe engaged with and subverted the reader's expectations of literary analysis. He presented a seemingly scientific approach to poetic creation, prompting the reader to question the nature of creativity itself.
In summary, while "The Philosophy of Composition" ostensibly uses the expository essay to illuminate Poe's creative process, its very structure ironically underscores the limitations of applying rational analysis to the act of artistic creation. The form itself becomes a crucial element of the essay's overall effect, a sophisticated rhetorical strategy rather than a straightforward exposition.