Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Black Cat'
An analysis of the short story "narrated" by Edgar Allan Poe ' The Black Cat', and how he portrays the cat as a sinister and demonic creature.
Analytical Essay # 6641 |
920 words (
approx. 3.7 pages ) |
1 source |
MLA | 2002
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Abstract
Metaphors not only can be used as literal interpretation of events, but also have metaphorical meanings. A good example would be the black cat in Edgar Allan Poe's "The Black Cat" and how the narrator in the story implied throughout the story that the cat is of demonic creature. The black cat in the short story not only has a literal meaning of a normal household cat but also from a metaphorical-side of meaning, as the narrator's personal demon, which haunts him throughout the story and brings him to the point of near insanity.
From the Paper
"The first mention of the black cat in the short story is when the narrator's wife noticed his partiality for domestic pets and "lost no opportunity of procuring those of the most agreeable kind" (894), which includes a black cat. In the beginning, the narrator describes the cat as a "large and beautiful animal, entirely black, and sagacious to a degree" (894). When he describes the cat in this way, the narrator gave us his view of the cat as an everyday, normal household cat that people who have had an encounter with cats can feel a real connection to. Even though some people might have the superstitious belief that an entirely black cat might be a minion of the underworld or a witch in disguise which his wife did when she "made frequent allusions to the ancient popular notion" (894), the narrator tries his best to also show that this is a normal cat like any other. The narrator also gives the pet the name of Pluto, which is the name for the god of the underworld in Roman mythology. By doing this, he further connects the black cat of his to something from the underworld. He also calls what he sees when he went back to check out the ruins of his house that burned down as an apparition (895) and a "phantasm of the cat" (896). An apparition is a ghost or spirit and by following what the narrator describes, his view of the black cat goes from a normal household pet to something that haunts him for months. The loss of the cat not only brought him remorse at what he did to the cat when he hung it on a rope but also regret at the loss of a fine pet."
Tags:allan, black, cat, edgar, poemetaphors, hate, demon, narrator, literal, short, story
A review of "The Black Cat" by Edgar Allan Poe.
Term Paper # 95740 |
1,340 words (
approx. 5.4 pages ) |
7 sources |
MLA | 2006
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$ 27.95
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Abstract
This paper takes a look at the short story written in 1843 by Edgar Allan Poe, titled "The Black Cat". The paper studies the narrator's behavior in a psychological framework in order to understand what prompted the narrator to commit a hideous crime. The paper further discusses how the narrator tries to manipulate the reader in an attempt to win his sympathy by alternating between narrative time and story time.
From the Paper
"What is really interesting about the narrator is his subtle explanations of his behavior and the murder of his wife that we get from certain lines in the story without the narrator actually intending to reveal much. There is a small passage that gives away narrator's troubled psyche and his real reason for killing his wife. It occurs in the first part of the story when the narrator tells us: "From my infancy I was noted for the docility and humanity of my disposition. My tenderness of heart was even so conspicuous as to make me the jest of my companions" (850). "
Tags:cat, hideous, terror, sympathy, psyche, anger, twisted, perception
A literary review of "The Black Cat" showing a human's self reliance and survival.
Analytical Essay # 36413 |
1,400 words (
approx. 5.6 pages ) |
2 sources |
2002
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$ 28.95
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This paper suggests that the freedom of the mind is more important and complex than the freedom of the body as can be seen represented by "The Black Cat" where the perverseness of the free mind binds the body.
Tags:black, cat, reliance
Overview of the differences between caring for a dog and caring for a cat, and an analysis of which pet better suits a person with a busy schedule.
Argumentative Essay # 32443 |
650 words (
approx. 2.6 pages ) |
2 sources |
2002
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$ 13.95
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The battle between dog owners versus cat owners has been brewing for centuries. Each side thinks that they own the best type of pet. This paper examines the issue of owning a dog versus owning a cat, including an analysis of which is better if you have a busy schedule, how much attention and interaction is required of these animals, as well as the basics of how to care for a dog versus how to care for a cat.
Tags:dogs, versus, cats
A look at the differences between dog owners and cat owners.
Essay # 86169 |
900 words (
approx. 3.6 pages ) |
7 sources |
2005
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$ 19.95
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This paper reviews pets and their owners, with specific focus on the division between dog lovers and cat lovers. This paper goes on to define and analyze these differences.
From the Paper
"If a house has a furry pet, it is usually a dog or a cat, although some unusual homes boast more exotic creatures such as ferrets or even monkeys and others may contain a mouse or two. However, dogs and cats remain the favorite but have distinct differences that tend to divide people into two camps: the dog lovers or the cat lovers. I prefer dogs; they offer unconditional love and boisterous play to any home. Cats have some similar qualities, too. Despite this, the cat lovers and the dog lovers endlessly compete to determine which is the better furry friend. Let's take a look at some of their reasons. Cats are, for the most part, thought to be more independent and seem to require less care. For example, cats use a litter box, so the cat owner does not have to take her fuzzy kitty for cold winter strolls."
Tags:comparison, dogs, cats
An examination of the theme of human irresponsibility in the novel, "Cat's Cradle", by Kurt Vonnegut.
Book Review # 48926 |
1,493 words (
approx. 6 pages ) |
1 source |
MLA | 2004
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$ 29.95
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Abstract
This paper examines the novel, "Cat's Cradle", by Kurt Vonnegut, written at the height of the Cold War when most Americans lived in fear of a fiery nuclear apocalypse. Vonnegut presents a different but equally terrifying end, a world encased in ice. It discusses how one of the novel's themes is how human irresponsibility can contribute to this icy end. It examines how Vonnegut uses the major and minor characters in "Cat's Cradle" to reflect on the consequences of human irresponsibility and how, throughout the novel, Vonnegut presents characters whose irresponsibility helps bring much of life on earth to an end.
From the Paper
"Despite his small stature, Newt is the most mature and well adjusted of the Hoenikker children. Still, Newt remains focused on the major disappointments of his childhood. The fact that he found neither cat nor cradle in the tangle of strings presented by his father causes Newt to believe in the lack of meaning in all human life. He thus becomes an easy target for the Russian spy Zinka, who pretends to love him in order to get to his share of the ice-nine. At the apocalypse, Newt remains unwilling to confront the horrors of the icy apocalypse that he helped to usher. Instead, he focuses on scavenging for paint, and on turning inward and coping through his art."
Tags:felix, hoenikker, ice, john, angela, world
An examination of the nature of humor within "Cat's Cradle" by Kurt Vonnegut and how it is used to serve a very serious purpose.
Analytical Essay # 42161 |
900 words (
approx. 3.6 pages ) |
1 source |
2002
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$ 19.95
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Abstract
To understand the point of the humor in "Cat's Cradle" by Kurt Vonnegut, it is necessary to examine the point of the story itself. All of Vonnegut's books touch on broad social issues in a rather cartoonish way that serves a much darker and difficult purpose than what they appear to address. Like Breakfast of Champions, and Hocus Pocus, Cat's Cradle, is a humorous take on the organizations and social structures that the world holds as absolutes with the angle that such things do not exist - all is arbitrary. In this work, we find that there is a brilliant combination of lampoon (in the form of the polarized roles taken by the two friends who created the island nation dictatorial politics and religion, Bokononism; which are intended to oversimplify the arbitrariness of politics and religion) and of black humor (which is clearly marked in the violence, deprivation, and oppression that are used only to perpetrate the lie that is the society). Irony, perhaps, is the constant of every event and passage in this book. It is irony that makes us understand that the humor in the story is a rather caustic, disbelieving, and disenchanting look at our own and every other society.
A look at the behavior of the house cat otherwise known as Felis catus.
Essay # 37324 |
2,150 words (
approx. 8.6 pages ) |
4 sources |
2002
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$ 40.95
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This paper analyzes the behavior of Felis catus, the domestic cat. It begins with a brief natural history overview of the species. An ethogram is proposed and employed in both scan and focal sampling. The data is presented in graph and table form as well as text. The discussion section focuses on observations regarding cat behavior and a comparison of the two methods of sampling.
A literary review of "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood.
Analytical Essay # 29872 |
1,157 words (
approx. 4.6 pages ) |
1 source |
MLA | 2002
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$ 23.95
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This paper studies the issue of power struggles between same and different genders through the work of Margaret Atwood's "Cat's Eye." The writer believes that power struggles can lead to emotional scarring for life. "Cat's Eye," authored by Margaret Atwood revolves around the character and the subsequent story of Elaine Risley, a painter by profession who returns to Toronto, the city of her childhood and youth, for an exhibit of her artworks. The story is written in retrospect with flashbacks to communicate the plot and themes.
From the Paper
"Further it is narrated by the character of Elaine Risley who travels through time into her youth to tell the readers about her experiences. These experiences and their subsequent narration form the gist of the book, ranging from the politics of childhood, friendship, longing and betrayal in youth, and gender based struggle for power. However it is her inability to get rid of these memories and the experiences that lie within which show how women continue to get affected in the long run because of the nature of their relationships induced by culture."
Tags:elaine, gender, struggle, power, emotional, scar
The following paper takes a look at male and female sexuality as presented in "Gigi" and "The Cat".
Comparison Essay # 3860 |
1,240 words (
approx. 5 pages ) |
0 sources |
2001
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$ 25.95
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Abstract
This paper looks at how the literary French artiste' Colette, in a duet of short stories, "Gigi" and "The Cat", is able to explain some of the sexual nuances that make the sexes behave as they do; perhaps bringing some insight into our own present day relationships.
From the paper:
"Light vs. Darkness, Muslim vs. Christian, North vs. South, Football vs. Oprah, conflicts such as these rage on in our 21st century society. Of all conflicts the one furthest from resolution and the most highly contested seems to be the age-old battle of male sexuality vs. female sexuality. What do the opposing ?dramatis personae? desire? How do they propose to attain it? Are the variances between the sexes really as vast as we?ve been led to believe? Through exquisite prose and imagery, the literary French artiste? Colette, in a duet of short stories Gigi and The Cat, is able to explain some of the sexual nuances that make the sexes behave as they do; perhaps bringing some insight into our own present day relationships ."
Tags:short, stories, camille, collette, women, feminism, sexuality