"The Cask of Amontillado" Analysis

Paper Summary:

The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the short story "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe. Specifically it critically analyzes the short story, playing attention to how the author uses atmosphere to create the aspects of illusion and reality in the story. The writer concludes that atmosphere plays an important part in this short story. The writer demonstrates how the author Poe uses atmosphere to take the reader from the heights of happiness to the depths of despair. Further, the writer points out that Poe shows how a madman's mind works, and how illusion and reality can blend in the mind to become something impossible to ignore.

From the Paper:

"The men leave behind the happy atmosphere of the carnival for something more sinister, and Poe uses these two very different settings to underscore the dishonesty of Montresor, which only adds to the horrifying atmosphere. Even more compelling is Montresor's own illusion at friendship and caring. He acts concerned about his friend's health, when in reality, he would do just about anything to get his friend to go with him into the vaults. He even uses another's opinion to convince Fortunato to go with him. He uses the illusion of friendship against the man he sees as his enemy, and this adds to the atmosphere of tension and darkness that surrounds this part of the story.
Making Montresor seem normal while he plans the ultimate revenge for his friend is also a major part of the atmosphere of the story. Montresor is clearly mad. Only a madman would come up with burying his friend alive because he slighted the family name. As he walls up his friend, Poe shows how he ignores the pleas of his friend."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bloom, Harold, ed. The Tales of Poe. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987.
• Magistrale, Tony. Student Companion to Edgar Allan Poe. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2001.
• Poe, Edgar Allan. "The Cask of Amontillado." The Poe Museum. 2006. 31 Aug. 2006. < http://www.poemuseum.org/selected_works/amontillado.html >

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