The Presence of Symbolism Throughout The Black Cat and...

Through out Edgar Allen Poe’s career his stories and works of art have all carried their own distinctive independence, but one of the very few things that most stories by Poe had in common was the literary element of symbolism. Symbolism is the practice of representing things by symbols, or of investing things with a symbolic meaning or character. In Poe’s works such as â€Å"The Black Cat† and â€Å"The Cask Of Amontillado† Edgar illustrates the mental state of his characters through the use of symbolism. In the story â€Å"The Black Cat† the narrator’s psychological state is portrayed through the signs or symbols of the white fur, the cat, its eye, and the wall. In the second story, â€Å"The Cask Of Amontillado† irony of fate and identity is signified†¦show more content†¦Although Fortunato has insulted and disrespected Montresor, the arms suggests that he will ultimately crush him. In addition to this, the family motto Nem o me impune lacessit, which means no one wounds me with impunity, reveals Montresors obligation avenge the disrespect, even if it means death. Lastly, the amontillado is a symbol of pride. It is the single, most important factor in luring Fortunato into a fateful trap. By Montresor asking him to test the wine, he is building up Fortunatos arrogance and confidence. The amontillado helps to bring out Fortunatos pride. In his attempt to boost his pride and show off wine tasting abilities, he enters the catacombs, and literally enters his death. The Cask Of Amontillado contains numerous symbols, including their costumes, names, coat of arms, motto, and the amontillado, which help to reflect physiological state of the two characters. Poe uses all of these symbols to drive home the overall message of the dangers of arrogance and pride. â€Å"The Black Cat† on the other hand is a story where symbolism can be seen as use for the description of the narrator’s condition. As long as I can remember, a black cat has always been symbolized for bad luck or an evil omen. In this story it’s used a figure to illustrate the narrator’sShow MoreRelatedEdgar Allen Poe s The Cask Of Amontillado1528 Words   |  7 PagesEven though emotional problems in Edgar Allen Poe s life contribute greatly towards the gothic themes of his work, conflicts of love and hate as well as self and the alter ego, have influenced his writing on death and delusional characters. Though there are many notable writers and poets who contributed to the field of English literature in the 19th century, Edgar was among those who remained on the sidelines despite their extraordinary talent. In all of Poe s works, the themes of emotional painRead More Poe’s Life†¦ At the Tip of a Pen Essay2201 Words   |  9 Pageswork s is derived from the life and the experiences of the creator. For some, these tales become stories and those stories become novels, but for one man it meant so much more. The works of Edgar Allan Poe became his life; he expressed every feeling and every moment of his existence through ink and paper. Poe involved his entire life in his writing, leaving no element of the story untouched by his trademark of a past. His work became so unique and unorthodox, yet it did not lack the attention itRead MoreEdgar Allan Poe : A Literary Catalyst2302 Words   |  10 PagesEdgar Allan Poe: A Literary Catalyst Edgar Allan Poe created a new age of poem and prose though his articulate calculation of production and fantastic usage of poetic effect. His way of creating a work was to mathematically draw the poem from the atmosphere or effect backwards, running this idea throughout the piece. Many people consider Edgar Allan Poe as one of America’s greatest authors, but still question that without Poe, the unveiling of the human propensity represented in poetryRead MoreANALIZ TEXT INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS28843 Words   |  116 Pagesof Cain a legacy of guilt that the outcast Brand shares with his Biblical counterpart. One must also, however, be alert to names used ironically which characterize through inversion. Such is the case with the foolish Fortunato of Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado, who surely must rank with the most unfortunate of men. 2. CHARACTERIZATION THROUGH APPEARANCE. Although in real life most of us are aware that appearances are often deceiving, in the world of fiction details of appearance often provide essential