The Black Cat A reflection of Edgar Allen Poe
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Frank Espinosa
Mr. Maxwell
English III AP
15 January 2015
The Black Cat: A Reflection of Edgar Allen Poe
Some people choose to display their life through a page turning autobiography, others an
award winning blockbuster film. But, there are some people who showcase their life story, the good and the bad, in their work. One of the most wellknown people to do this was none other than the demented and ingenious Edgar Allen Poe. The tragedy of his life bled through many of his works, particularly
The Black Cat.
Elements of Poe’s life are hidden deep within the words of the fictional story
.
Although the story may be fictional, the story still masks the events that occurred in Poe’s life. From his fatal attraction to alcohol all the way to his encounter with the spirit of perverseness, Edgar Allen Poe tells of his tragedies behind a mask whose title is, The
Black Cat.
The fictional narrative is based upon the narrator’s situation with the effects of alcohol
abuse. His actions with this alcohol has affected his whole life. Instead of seeing the narrator himself needs help, he blames it on the black cat. The Black Cat is symbolic for all the wrongs in the narrator’s life, a scapegoat. The cat is maltreated every time something goes wrong with the narrator, it is the outcome of his alcohol abuse. As it is explained in the story, the narrator was the victim of a “Fiend Intemperance” (Poe 6). By the day he grew more moody, more irritable, and more regardless of the feelings of others (Poe 6). He knows that his excessive indulgence of
Espinosa 2
alcohol is very impactful on his life, for he has seen it and admitted to it himself. He morphs into a completely different persons when he consumes this substance. He takes on a different personality, one that is completely different from his animal loving and affectionate self that he used to be (Poe 2). This shows only a piece of Edgar Allan Poe’s life. This is
Frank Espinosa
Mr. Maxwell
English III AP
15 January 2015
The Black Cat: A Reflection of Edgar Allen Poe
Some people choose to display their life through a page turning autobiography, others an
award winning blockbuster film. But, there are some people who showcase their life story, the good and the bad, in their work. One of the most wellknown people to do this was none other than the demented and ingenious Edgar Allen Poe. The tragedy of his life bled through many of his works, particularly
The Black Cat.
Elements of Poe’s life are hidden deep within the words of the fictional story
.
Although the story may be fictional, the story still masks the events that occurred in Poe’s life. From his fatal attraction to alcohol all the way to his encounter with the spirit of perverseness, Edgar Allen Poe tells of his tragedies behind a mask whose title is, The
Black Cat.
The fictional narrative is based upon the narrator’s situation with the effects of alcohol
abuse. His actions with this alcohol has affected his whole life. Instead of seeing the narrator himself needs help, he blames it on the black cat. The Black Cat is symbolic for all the wrongs in the narrator’s life, a scapegoat. The cat is maltreated every time something goes wrong with the narrator, it is the outcome of his alcohol abuse. As it is explained in the story, the narrator was the victim of a “Fiend Intemperance” (Poe 6). By the day he grew more moody, more irritable, and more regardless of the feelings of others (Poe 6). He knows that his excessive indulgence of
Espinosa 2
alcohol is very impactful on his life, for he has seen it and admitted to it himself. He morphs into a completely different persons when he consumes this substance. He takes on a different personality, one that is completely different from his animal loving and affectionate self that he used to be (Poe 2). This shows only a piece of Edgar Allan Poe’s life. This is
Cited: "Edgar Allan Poe." Bio. True Story. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 15 Jan. 2015. < http://www.biography.com/people/edgarallanpoe9443160/videos >. Poe, Edgar Allan. “The Black Cat”. Print