Free Essays on Cask Of Amontillado

Lucky Sickness Guiding Question: What if Fortunato hadn’t been sick? Montresor’s plan would not have gone as smooth as it did. â€Å"It must be understood that neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will†(96). Without Fortunato being sick, it would have been a lot harder for Montresor to convey his good intentions. He noticed right away that Fortunato was sick and suggested they not proceed. â€Å"The vaults are insufferably damp. They are encrusted with nitre†(97), said Montresor. He knew that Fortunato was a wine connoisseur and would not turn down an Amontillado. Montresor even went as far as saying, â€Å"we will go back; your health is precious. You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy, as once I was†(97). He truly won over the trust of Fortunato. Not only suggesting they not go down to the vaults, but turning around as well. Someone who says, â€Å"the cough is a mere nothing: it will not kill me. I shall not die of a cough†(97), is not weak. Fortunato is a fighter, maybe not with his fists, but mentally. A mentally strong person would not sit there and let someone chain them up. But chaining up Fortunato was done with ease. He didn’t fight back, â€Å"he was too much astounded to resist†(99), Montresor thought to himself. In most cases, shock causes people to freeze. Being sick and drunk does not help your reaction time either. Fortunato showed he was truly feeling weak, when Montresor â€Å"again [offered Fortunato] his arm. He leaned upon it heavily†(98). Almost as if he was using Montresor as a crutch. It’s safe to say Fortunato would not have been so willing to enter the vaults, if it weren’t for the compassion of Montresor. He also would have put up more of a fight if it were not for his condition. Montresor got lucky, and his plan went a lot smoother than expected.... Free Essays on Cask Of Amontillado Free Essays on Cask Of Amontillado Lucky Sickness Guiding Question: What if Fortunato hadn’t been sick? Montresor’s plan would not have gone as smooth as it did. â€Å"It must be understood that neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will†(96). Without Fortunato being sick, it would have been a lot harder for Montresor to convey his good intentions. He noticed right away that Fortunato was sick and suggested they not proceed. â€Å"The vaults are insufferably damp. They are encrusted with nitre†(97), said Montresor. He knew that Fortunato was a wine connoisseur and would not turn down an Amontillado. Montresor even went as far as saying, â€Å"we will go back; your health is precious. You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy, as once I was†(97). He truly won over the trust of Fortunato. Not only suggesting they not go down to the vaults, but turning around as well. Someone who says, â€Å"the cough is a mere nothing: it will not kill me. I shall not die of a cough†(97), is not weak. Fortunato is a fighter, maybe not with his fists, but mentally. A mentally strong person would not sit there and let someone chain them up. But chaining up Fortunato was done with ease. He didn’t fight back, â€Å"he was too much astounded to resist†(99), Montresor thought to himself. In most cases, shock causes people to freeze. Being sick and drunk does not help your reaction time either. Fortunato showed he was truly feeling weak, when Montresor â€Å"again [offered Fortunato] his arm. He leaned upon it heavily†(98). Almost as if he was using Montresor as a crutch. It’s safe to say Fortunato would not have been so willing to enter the vaults, if it weren’t for the compassion of Montresor. He also would have put up more of a fight if it were not for his condition. Montresor got lucky, and his plan went a lot smoother than expected.... Free Essays on Cask Of Amontillado THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO The overall theme of Edgar Allan Poe’s â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† is revenge. It involves a contrasting relationship between the satisfaction of the avenger and the victim’s pursuit of love. Poe ties these feelings together by constantly using irony throughout the story. We will see how revenge is the force behind Montresor’s motive, we will discover how love leads Fortunado to his death, we will determine the growth of Montresor’s satisfaction, and we will learn how Poe uses irony to piece them together. The force that drives Montresor to commit the horrible murder of Fortunado is his powerful desire for revenge. The opening lines of the story, Montresor says, â€Å"The thousand injuries of Fortunado I had borne as I best could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge.† The idea of revenge is brought up several times in the opening paragraph. Montresor says, â€Å"I must not only punish, but punish with impunity.† It is obvious to the reader that Montresor vowed revenge. Poe isolates the act of revenge throughout the story by not revealing the motive behind Montresor’s crime. To accomplish his revenge, Montresor leads Fortunado down into the catacombs in search of Amontillado. Fortunado prides himself on being a connoisseur of wine. When achieving his revenge, Montresor uses Fortunado’s love for wine against him. â€Å"Is it further on?† Fortunado asks. His love for wine generates motivation. What he does not know is that this motive of love will pursue him to his death. The reader begins to see how Fortunado’s love will trigger Montresor’s satisfaction. Montresor receives a great deal of satisfaction as they descend down into the catacombs. As Fortunado’s pursuit of the Amontillado continues, Montresor’s satisfaction grows stronger. Montresor toasts, â€Å"And I to your long life.† Montresor seems to be in good spirits, as he jokes to himself. The satisfaction increases an... Free Essays on Cask Of Amontillado In Pace Requiescat (Rest in Peace) Edgar Allan Poe creates a mood of horror in â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† through the setting, the main character, and the internal conflict he faces. Taking place in the catacombs beneath Montresor’s residence the reader is given an image of death; fraught with his decision to punish Fortunato for the various insults that have tarnished his family name, Montresor is torn between his need for revenge and the pending guilt that haunts him the remainder of his days. Poe illustrates a horrendous setting filled with ironic symbolism to convey his tale of ultimate revenge. First, Edgar Allan Poe utilizes the setting to create an image of dread for the reader. Beginning â€Å"one evening during the supreme madness of the carnival season† Poe quickly moves the reader under ground to the catacombs beneath Montresor’s home. The carnival can be all but forgotten as Robert Louis Stevenson points out, â€Å"†¦ the whole spirit of â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† depends on Fortunato’s carnival costume of cap and bells and motley† (Stevenson). Poe utilizes the carnival two fold as it not only sets Fortunato at a location which he will surely indulge beyond his capacity making him easily deceived by Montresor as well as providing rationale for Fortunato to be dressed as a jester complete with bells. The jingling of the bells demonstrates the constant belittling Montresor perceives from Fortunato which feeds his need for retribution. The story continues down to the dark recesses of Montresor’s catacombs that serve both as his family’s crypt and wine cellar. Poe illustrates a dark cavern with damp stone walls, covered with nitre, that are barely illuminated by lanterns. Upon reaching Montresor’s destination, Fortunato’s final resting place, Poe gives the reader the last clue as to the dread about to take place, â€Å"in depth about four feet, in width three, in height six or seven†. The main room ...