Poe Perverseness

Words: 1858
Pages: 8
Open Document
“The Black Cat” by Edgar Allan Poe
Have you ever thought of how perverseness can affect one's life? What would you do if perverseness of the mind took over your life? Would you stop making bad choices? In “The Black Cat”, by Edgar Allan Poe, a deranged narrator tells his readers about his experience of how a spirit of perverseness takes full control of him and it makes him commit gruesome crimes. In the beginning of the story, the narrator is in a prison cell awaiting his execution while he is waiting, he begins to tell the reader the story of when perverseness took over his body and soul. The narrator uses to be a person whom loved and cared about his animals yet when he was in the state of alcohol consumption, his attitude and personality …show more content…
In the story, the narrator is trying to tell the readers that by using the literary devices the theme will reveal. So what the narrator is trying to tell the reader that perverseness can lead to horrific events if you don’t make the right choices in life. The narrator is using this theme to tell a lesson to everyone who is reading this. Poe uses three literary devices to reveal the theme, symbolism, irony, and simile. Basically, Poe uses symbolism to help the narrator tell the readers that by using symbolisms, the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities, he is able to find symbolic meaning in Black Cat and Demon Alcohol. Another literary device that Poe uses is irony, in which it tells that irony is an expression that one uses normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect. In the story, the narrator use two type of irony, situational irony and dramatic. As you might have known, irony is a technique that is used in literature or retorical device that gives an intended meaning, in which is different from the actual meaning of the word. By using irony, Poe is able to write some ironic things like when the narrator tries to kill the second cat but ends up killing his wife instead. Finally, the narrator uses simile to compare two different objects or things to compare each other. In the story, the narrator tries to reveal the theme of the story. By doing so, the narrator tells the readers about how and what is the theme is in the story. In “ The Black Cat”, Poe uses symbolism, irony, and similes to portray what the theme is and how it is important in the
Show More

Related Documents: Poe Perverseness

The Black Cat Essay

“The Black Cat” is a short story written by Edgar Allen Poe. The narrator opens the story by saying how completely unbelievable the tale may sound, but he swears that he is sane himself. The narrator has always had a strong love for animals, but as a side affect of his alcohol abuse, turns to hatred. He adopts a black cat named Pluto, which he forms a very strong bond with. After a drunken night, the narrator cuts out Pluto’s eye. The cat then develops a fear and begins to avoid him. This angers…

Words 1061 - Pages 5

Essay on Edgar Allan Poe and American Romantic Movement

Shaquana Moore Ms. Chew American Literature 18 Feb. 2014 A Dark Romantic …. Edgar Allen Poe is known for being a “Dark Romantic” in the American Romantic Movement during the Romantic Era in the 19th century. He writes primarily about guilt, sin, and the conflict between good and evil. A prime example of his work would be “The Masque of the Red Death,” written in 1842. The tone of this short story is evil sadistic, and gothic-like. One concrete detail that stood out to me was, “Castellated…

Words 412 - Pages 2

The Black Cat: The Freudian Theory

relationship with his stepfather was “marked with volatility.” Poe and John Allen were both fiercely independent in mind, making conflict inevitable. The tense dynamics between Poe and his foster-father were ever present, but they exploded in 1827 when John refused to pay for Poe’s enrollment to the University of Virginia. As an outward expression of his disapproval, John “was not generous in the allowance given Poe to sustain him at school.” Poe, in turn, resorted to gambling to bolster his meager income…

Words 718 - Pages 3

TRS Poe Essay

Allan Poe: Exploring Common Themes of a Troubled Writer Edgar Allan Poe was an American author and poet born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1809. Poe lived a tumultuous life, wrought with death and financial challenges. He lost both parents by the time he was three years old. Poe was then separated from his siblings to live with a foster family. Over the course of his life, tuberculosis caused the deaths of his mother, brother, foster mother, and wife (“Poe’s Life: Who is Edgar Allan Poe?”). Poe also…

Words 2045 - Pages 9

Essay Edgar Allan Poe and Insanity

Edgar Allan Poe and Insanity Edgar Allan Poe shows how subconscious fears and guilt can lead to insanity through the irrational behaviors shown by the narrators in “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Black Cat”. Both narrators have committed a crime due to their insanity in an attempt to relieve themselves from their fear and guilt, but instead ultimately cause their further decline of mental stability. Edgar Allan Poe was orphaned at an early age, later being adopted by John Allan. In his early…

Words 3412 - Pages 14

Symbolism In The Black Cat By Edgar Allan Poe

Life of Pi.(Goodreads) Edgar Allan Poe weaves common themes throughout all of his short stories; death, guilt, arrogance, and loss of sanity. All four of these themes are found in his tale, “The Black Cat”. The narrator of the story slowly turns from a soft, animal lover, to an insane murderer within a short amount of time. He is drawn to do, say, and act upon desires that well up inside him with seemingly no way to stop it. In “The Black Cat” Edgar Allan Poe uses narration and symbolism to convey…

Words 1314 - Pages 6

Examples Of Insanity In The Black Cat

“The Black Cat” by Edgar Allen Poe is a short story that portrays a man a victim to insanity in his own life. Insanity is not being able to distinguish fantasy and reality and if charged could release the culprit from the death penalty. This unnamed narrator tells the story as he and his wife are open and loving to all animals. On page four, he introduces his favorite of them all, a black cat named Pluto. Throughout the story, he suffers from attacks within him, causing him to abuse his own pets…

Words 510 - Pages 3

Obesity: Edgar Allan Poe Essay

” Evil’s Doing’s In Edgar Allan Poe’s "The Black Cat," symbolism is used to show the narrator’s capacity for violence, madness, and guilt. "The Black Cat," written by Edgar Allan Poe serves as a reminder for all of us. The Capacity for violence and horror lies within each of us, no matter how passive and humanitarian our disposition might appear. In this story, the narrator portrays a man who is fond of animals, had a tender heart, and is happily married…

Words 712 - Pages 3

Psychoanalyzing the Black Cat Essay

noted for the docility and humanity of my disposition. My tenderness of heart was even so conspicuous as to make me the jest of my companions” (Poe 18). It was this that caused the narrator to prefer the company of…

Words 2019 - Pages 9

The Black Cat Essay

THE BLACK CAT BY EDGAR ALLAN POE 7^WYS`f7Taa]e f7 COPYRIGHT INFORMATION Short Story: “The Black Cat” Author: Edgar Allan Poe, 1809–49 First published: 1843 The original short story is in the public domain in the United States and in most, if not all, other countries as well. Readers outside the United States should check their own countries’ copyright laws to be certain they can legally download this e-story. The Online Books Page has an FAQ which gives a summary of copyright…

Words 4050 - Pages 17