Poe Lit Works Poe\'s Narration

Poe Lit Works

Poe's Narration

Narration plays a key role in the success of a story. It establishes the point-of-view and frame of reference in which the reader discovers everything about the story's characters, surroundings, plot and action. This paper will compare and contrast the narrators of Edgar Allan Poe's the Black Cat and the Cask of Amontillado in detail.

The Black Cat

The narrative voice of the Black Cat is presented in the first person. This technique can create a powerful tone for the reader and allow a suspension of disbelief. The reader identifies with an "I" character more readily and quicker because one sees something of one's self. Using the first person can also establish an air of suspense. The reader is waiting for further information. I believe this is one reason why Poe chose this narrative style. It emphasizes the poetic nature of his prose.

The narrator is a white male who has gone mad, believes he will die the next day and therefore must tell his story quickly. He believes he has gone mad because of his pet, the black cat named Pluto. The narrator has always considered himself an animal lover but during the years of relationship with Pluto, he develops mood swings and drinking habit as a coping mechanism. He believes the cat has some kind of evil power over him. It is not until the cat scratches him that he believes he is possessed by a demon. Still he acts violently toward the cat even going as far as cutting out its eye. As time goes by, the narrator's condition worsens and he is haunted by images of cat ghosts. This drives him beyond mad as he tries to kill Pluto but instead murders his wife and hides her body. The narrator cleverly with holds information from the reader. He knows he will die at the hands of a hangman and his is final punishment.

The Cask of Amontillado

The narrator of the Cask of Amontillado is also presented in the first person voice. How this narrative differs from the Black Cat is this narrator has more interaction and dialogue with his obsession. Much of the story takes place in the interaction and not in description. There is less poetry in the prose but still a tone of suspense. The set-up is realistic and not fanciful as before. It is not clear exactly what sex or age the narrator is but one can assume from the dialogue the narrator is male and upper class European. He refers to his friend as part of a brotherhood, which in those days was a common male practice. Still the narrator is quite mad also but in a different way. He is blinded by revenge and obsession with his friend. His type of madness is based more on realistic human emotion than ghosts or demons. This element sets him apart from the narrator of the Black Cat. His type of madness seems logical.