Allegory In The Masque Of The Red Death

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Many problems occur in life, and most people just try to ignore or avoid them, but that only lasts for a limited amount of time. In the short story, “The Masque of the Red Death” by Edgar Allan Poe, he shows that some issues one must face, and not steer clear from. Throughout the short story, Poe displays the path of life, with the emotions and feelings one might experience. Many difficult circumstances come up, but a person has to accept and conquer them because that is what life is about. To enhance his allegory of life in “The Masque of the Red Death,” Poe expresses that ignoring or avoiding one’s problems is only a temporary fix through the portrayal of the rooms numbers one through seven, the castle, and the clock. The path of life is filled with all sorts of mishaps and emotions, just like the journey through rooms one through seven. Life seems to start nice and easy, but as one keeps moving, problems come forward, and it eventually comes to an end. Poe states, “That at the eastern extremity was hung for example, in blue, while the seventh apartment was shrouded in black” (Poe 84). The colors and set up of the rooms correspond with the path of life and its difficulties. The first room is on the most eastern wall, which is also where the …show more content…
When the clock rang it was only an alert of what they knew was coming for them. Poe states that, “... and while the chimes of the clock yet rang, it was observed that the giddiest grew pale” (Poe 84). Everyone around the clock was aware of what might happen. This clock was an uneasy reminder that constantly rang in themselves. It is stated that even those who were happy, became motionless and pale. They knew that unfortunate events happen to everyone, including themselves, yet they still try to get around it. The clock puts them in their place of awareness. Anything can be a reminder of what may to come in the
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