Introduction to Literature (A)
Emily Tang (495200093)
Ms. Jennifer Chiu
Oct.2.2006
Journal 2
Before reading “The cask of Amontillado”, Edgar Allan Poe had become my favorite author. The first connection to Poe’s stories was established in my childhood when the strangeness of “The black cat” struck me.
Almost immediately, all my innocence was buried by his words and it led me directly to the most cruel and merciless world of adults. I was then addicted to Allan Poe’s bitter tongue of describing thrilling peculiarity and his relentless revelation of darkness as well.
While reading his articles, I see painful spirits wandering on the edge of madness, yes, just like himself. After a deeper understanding of Poe’s miserable background, I was offered by it a great influence on my perspective towards life and my own writing style.
I seemed to waste too much time in recalling, but how can you stop a person from talking about her favorite? Anyway, it is time to go back to the topic.
Firstly, in “The cask of Amontillado”, the author had given the leading role a vicious spirit, which, with great patience and intelligence, to engage in a revenge due to several insults he encountered. He knew a lot about his enemy, Fortunato, and used his weakness – the craving of Amontillado, as a bait to seduce, waiting for his pray to come.
What is interesting is that, even though the leading role is not a chivalrous or heroic person at all, he is not as hateful and foul as other villains found in many other books.
But why? Maybe it is becuase his elegant tone of speech towards his enemy, or his great tolerance for reaching his satanic goal. In my opinion, these unique personal characters have turned a villain into a charming one.
Secondly, let me discuss the poor victim in ”The cask of Amontillado”. As a matter of fact, Fortunato was the one who was beloved, rich, and even gained countless public respect but was still killed in the end. Not only in this story, from many Poe’s stories, have I seen the same phenomenon.
Maybe it has reflected the inner thoughts of Allan Poe, as a poor man, out of his abomination of those hypocritical capitalists, his stories always show pure hatred towards them without any reservation. This indeed have caused countless death in Allen Poe’s stories.
Besides, we can consider “The cask of Amontillado“ as a mirror of humanity. Sometimes when pursuing our own desires like Fortunato, we are too blind to see the facts and it truly makes us defenseless, just like moth to the flame. This story was proceeded in great many of conversations, instead of a direct narration of what was going to happen, the author used conversations to reveal the plot in a more lingering and more concealing way.
The reason why the leading role committed his murder at carnival night resulted from two possibilities, the countless distractions of people’s attention the carnival has offered might be an advantage to a murderer. As a result, the first reason is for convenience. Another possibility of his decision might be a dramatic irony that, in order to simultaneously celebrate the death of his enemy, Fortunado, it has to be done under this circumstance.
Speaking of the costume of Fortunado, for his blindness to danger and his suicidal movement, it is the author’s intention to create a foolish image for both reader and even Fortunado himself. His laughter in the edge of death was full of depression, and maybe it had also driven him crazy. We can consider it as the last howl of a beast.
After the leading role walled Fortunado , he called his name and asked for reply, in my opinion, it’s a distort desire for winner to hear the tragic voice of failure. But why his heart grow sick? Maybe due to the awakening of his inner conscience or the rising guilt.
In “The cask of Amontillado” we saw several ironies hidden in the story, verbal ironies came the most, sentences like “Nemo me impune lacessit” is used as a metaphor to implicate the fate of Fortunado.
To sum up, no matter what outcome will be ,it’s Allen Poe’s style to sentence a character to death. In the world he had created, I see no mercy and fair but madness and tragedies, maybe due to his dark fate, Poe was too sentimental to see the positive side of people. (Total 3538 words)
Composed by Emily Tang
Emily Tang (495200093)
Ms. Jennifer Chiu
Oct.2.2006
Journal 2
Before reading “The cask of Amontillado”, Edgar Allan Poe had become my favorite author. The first connection to Poe’s stories was established in my childhood when the strangeness of “The black cat” struck me.
Almost immediately, all my innocence was buried by his words and it led me directly to the most cruel and merciless world of adults. I was then addicted to Allan Poe’s bitter tongue of describing thrilling peculiarity and his relentless revelation of darkness as well.
While reading his articles, I see painful spirits wandering on the edge of madness, yes, just like himself. After a deeper understanding of Poe’s miserable background, I was offered by it a great influence on my perspective towards life and my own writing style.
I seemed to waste too much time in recalling, but how can you stop a person from talking about her favorite? Anyway, it is time to go back to the topic.
Firstly, in “The cask of Amontillado”, the author had given the leading role a vicious spirit, which, with great patience and intelligence, to engage in a revenge due to several insults he encountered. He knew a lot about his enemy, Fortunato, and used his weakness – the craving of Amontillado, as a bait to seduce, waiting for his pray to come.
What is interesting is that, even though the leading role is not a chivalrous or heroic person at all, he is not as hateful and foul as other villains found in many other books.
But why? Maybe it is becuase his elegant tone of speech towards his enemy, or his great tolerance for reaching his satanic goal. In my opinion, these unique personal characters have turned a villain into a charming one.
Secondly, let me discuss the poor victim in ”The cask of Amontillado”. As a matter of fact, Fortunato was the one who was beloved, rich, and even gained countless public respect but was still killed in the end. Not only in this story, from many Poe’s stories, have I seen the same phenomenon.
Maybe it has reflected the inner thoughts of Allan Poe, as a poor man, out of his abomination of those hypocritical capitalists, his stories always show pure hatred towards them without any reservation. This indeed have caused countless death in Allen Poe’s stories.
Besides, we can consider “The cask of Amontillado“ as a mirror of humanity. Sometimes when pursuing our own desires like Fortunato, we are too blind to see the facts and it truly makes us defenseless, just like moth to the flame. This story was proceeded in great many of conversations, instead of a direct narration of what was going to happen, the author used conversations to reveal the plot in a more lingering and more concealing way.
The reason why the leading role committed his murder at carnival night resulted from two possibilities, the countless distractions of people’s attention the carnival has offered might be an advantage to a murderer. As a result, the first reason is for convenience. Another possibility of his decision might be a dramatic irony that, in order to simultaneously celebrate the death of his enemy, Fortunado, it has to be done under this circumstance.
Speaking of the costume of Fortunado, for his blindness to danger and his suicidal movement, it is the author’s intention to create a foolish image for both reader and even Fortunado himself. His laughter in the edge of death was full of depression, and maybe it had also driven him crazy. We can consider it as the last howl of a beast.
After the leading role walled Fortunado , he called his name and asked for reply, in my opinion, it’s a distort desire for winner to hear the tragic voice of failure. But why his heart grow sick? Maybe due to the awakening of his inner conscience or the rising guilt.
In “The cask of Amontillado” we saw several ironies hidden in the story, verbal ironies came the most, sentences like “Nemo me impune lacessit” is used as a metaphor to implicate the fate of Fortunado.
To sum up, no matter what outcome will be ,it’s Allen Poe’s style to sentence a character to death. In the world he had created, I see no mercy and fair but madness and tragedies, maybe due to his dark fate, Poe was too sentimental to see the positive side of people. (Total 3538 words)
Composed by Emily Tang
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