Since Wayne Booth in 1961 brought up the theory of "unreliable narrators", it has been
Since Wayne Booth in 1961 brought up the theory of "unreliable narrators", it has been
Edgar Allan Poe is considered to be one of the greatest American writers of all time. His writing is dark and sinister. He wrote of death, murder, psychosis, and obsession. One could only imagine what would bring a person to write such morbid stories. Perhaps, it may be attributed to Poe’s childhood, a past that was sad and far from average. Both of his parents died when he was only three years of age (Shelley). The death of his parents caused a separation from his siblings and he moved to live with his relatives (Shelley). In later years, Poe endured poverty and the loss of his wife-to-be to another man (Clark). Possibly, without those troubling experiences, Poe couldn’t have imagined such eerie and enthralling tales. Some of his most acclaimed and well-known works are “The Black Cat” and “The Tell-Tale Heart.” These are stories based on characters that go insane over obsession involving an eye. Both characters have a relentless urge to kill. And, both of the murderers stuff the dead bodies into the foundation of a house. The main characters are questioned by the police and in a fit of lunacy, they admit their guilt.…
In many of his short stories, Edgar Allan Poe uses a single eye as a symbol. The narrators in his stories often experience an intense abomination towards the eye of a particular character. Usually the object of pursuit, the eye ignites a violent reaction within the narrator who feels the need to destroy it. The symbol of a single eye is identified several times throughout Poe’s literature and each time provides a deeper insight into his characters. The symbolization of the eye leads to the reveal of the psyche and soul, an exposure that leaves Poe’s characters feeling uncomfortable and revealed. In “The Black Cat” and “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe, eyes are used as symbols to identify that the eyes are the windows to the soul.…
In The Collected Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe, Poe’s difficult early life, the terrifying events in history and during his time era, and intricate purpose for writing influences the horror-filled short…
In the short story, “The Black Cat” by Edgar Allan Poe, the narrator was sane during his wife's murder. The narrator had several pets for many years and was happy to be with his wife, until he started to abuse alcohol. His alcohol abuse led to the abuse of his pets and wife, eventually leading to his wife’s “murder,”which is what the narrator called it when he committed the crime. Alcoholism does not make a man insane, the narrator knew what he was doing and he knew that it was wrong, unlike a person who suffers with the M’Naghten Rule. (Defendant either did not understand what they did, or failed to distinguish right from wrong, because of a “diseased mind”)…
Born in 1809, Edgar Allan Poe's work was a product of mysterious life. Poe used many literary techniques along with influence from his experiences to pioneer the horror and mystery genres to create chilling tones. In the short stories “The Black Cat”, “The Tell-Tale Heart”, “The Cask of Amontillado”, and “the Masque of the Red Death”, Poe uses often demented characters, rich symbolism, as well as unique perspectives to convey themes from his own life and build his stories effects.…
Edgar Allan Poe wrote that the single effect was the most important aspect of a short story, which everything must contribute to this effect. Poe's gothic tale "The Black Cat" was written trying to achieve an effect of shocking insanity. In this first person narrative the narrator tells of his decline from sanity to madness, all because of an obsession with two (or possibly one) black cats. These ebony creatures finally drive him to take the life his wife, whose death he unsuccessfully tries to conceal.…
Edgar Allan Poe, whose personal torment so powerfully informed his visionary prose and poetry, is a towering figure in the history of American literature. A Virginia gentleman and the son of itinerant actors, the heir to great fortune and a disinherited outcast, a university man who had failed to graduate, a soldier brought out of the army, a husband with an unapproachable child-bride, a brilliant editor and low salaried hack, a world renowned but impoverish author, a temperate man and uncontrollable alcoholic, a materialist who yearned for a final union with God. His fevered imagination brought him to great heights of creativity and the depths of paranoiac despair. Yet although he produced a relatively small volume of work, he virtually invented the horror and detective genres and his literary legacy endures to this day.…
Thesis: It can be said that everyone comes with a predetermined destiny where, no matter what you do in life, your fate has been determined before birth. It matter not how hard you try to change it because it is inescapable.…
In the short story "The Black Cat" by Edgar Allan Poe, the narrator, never being identified, states that he is sane. He goes on to say that he is kind and respects the fidelity of friendship. He claims he loves pets and likes to hang out with them. The pets in his house include "birds, goldfish, a fine dog, rabbits, a small monkey, and a cat". Pluto ,the cat, of all pets was the narrator's favorite. The narrator has a lot of conscious and unconscious feelings that motivate him to behave as he does in the story. He does not really understand all of these motivations, his own behaviors, or the psychological basis for the reasoning of his actions. After reading further, there were many questions that arose in my mind. The most prevalent of all the questions were how much can be rationally explained? And are superstitions real? After reading the title the first thing that came to mind was the black cat superstition. Cats have always held a variety of notions among all cultures, especially a black cat. The majority of humans have always associated black cats with something bad or evil. I myself have always believed that the superstitions following black cats are just a hoax believed by the naive.…
The presentation on Edgar Allen Poe’s story The Black Cat begins with an opening discussion of five discussion questions that evaluate and explore the meaning of the story, such as the story’s theme, symbols, and characters. Around the group, members will discuss their different opinions and interpretations of the story by supporting their claim with textual evidence. After the brief discussion for about ten minutes, the illustrator would showcase their art to the group and explain his or her interpretation and reasoning behind the scene illustration. Then, the biographical researcher will share with the group about the connections between Poe’s life and the story. Then, the historical researcher will expand upon the background information…
In the horror fiction story “The Black Cat”, by Edgar Allan Poe, the main character develops a hatred for not one, but two black cats. In this story, Poe writes in such a way that the reader can experience the main character’s slow descent into madness, guilt, and remorse (Milne). Personification plays a key role, particularly within the relationship between the main character and his cat(s).…
Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Black Cat” can be considered a horror story as well as a study in human psychology. The horrors of the violent acts committed by the narrator are explained as the story progresses as is the demise of his mental state. As he describes himself in the opening of the story as a lover of animals, it is shocking to later read of his first act of violence toward his cat, the gouging out of his eye. Although the narrator appears to show some remorse, shame, and guilt over this act on the cat he is able to drown it all out with the continued consumption of alcohol. It is apparent that the excessive use of alcohol started him on the path of perverseness and unable to handle the guilt…
Another very present theme in Edgar Allan Poe’s life and in his writing is alcohol abuse. There are several examples of this throughout Poe’s writing but it is especially evident in The Black Cat and The Cask of Amontillado. In the Black Cat the narrator is a very severe alcoholic and this factor drives the whole story. The fact that he is so often drunk in the story causes him to mistreat his wife and beloved animals. The narrator says he; “Sat, half stupified, in a den more than infamy” which shows us that his drinking was a major problem. In addition to the Black Cat, the Cask of Amontillado shows the theme of alcohol abuse very clearly. In this story a man named Montresor takes his drunken enemy, Fortunato down into the catacombs to show…
Many people believe that black cats bring bad luck or represent death. The superstition and myths of cats still remain. I believe that the story “The Black Cat” illustrates well that belief, within this story of a man with misfortunate events throughout his life.…
The best fictions are based on the character who changes in a significant way. In the short story "The Black Cat" many themes can be seen including transformation. The readers are introduced to an unnamed male character, who loves animals. The narrator's transformation is because of drinking.…