Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allen Poe - Essay Example

First Person Narration in the Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allen Poe Poe manipulates the story to suit his needs through the use of the point of view presented in the form of first person narration. The central narrator, Montressor, presents the story at a personal point of view. The readers’ opinion is corrupted by the narrator’s perception towards Fortunato. The opening line of the story is meant to lure the readers into supporting his actions, “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best I could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge” (528). The use of central narrator affects the emotional attachment that the reader feels upon a character. His attempt to capture readers’ support is strategic. However, readers do not understand what Fortunato had done to the narrator or if the narrator is trying to create a scene in his mind. The reader becomes even more confused because all the story events are brought to the fore by the narrator. Montresor takes advantage of the narration role to justify his actions as well as changing the readers’ attitude towards Fortunato. The story is told from the narrator’s point of view to increase the depravity and remorse that the reader feels. The narrator tries to divert the reader away from realizing the perverseness of his behavior. He suggests that walling-off Fortunato brings satisfaction. The narrator is successful in walling-off Fortunato in a cordial manner without struggle or resistance being put-up by Fortunato, “The Amontillado!’ ejaculated my friend, not yet recovered from his astonishment” (532). If the author had Fortunato resist or show any anger, the act could have negatively affected the reader’s mood. The impact of the scene is further enhanced through narration by the immediate sobering up of Fortunato, “It was not the cry of a drunken man” (532). Use of central narration indicates that the story revolves around the inner terror and the innate evil that exists in people. It allows the readers peer inside the narrators, as well as the author’s, mind and condition. Use of first person narration is related to the idea that telling the story from the victim’s perspective would not portray the memorable qualities to the readers’ attention. The narrator is able to bring out the true clarity of the dark tale, chilling suspense and invite the reader’s into the calculating and icy mind of Montresor. The detailed first person narration reveals the author’s intention of making the readers judge the narrator; not sympathize with him. First person narration is used to show that revenge is impossible due to a man’s inner self. This style also allows the reader to understand the character’s inner struggles and decisions, “You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however that I gave utterance to a threat” (528). The use of a character’s point of view is poetic because it brings-out various themes such as brutality and insensitivity. The narration helps in the expression of the author’s inner most feelings in relation to the main theme of the literary article. The use of the first person narration by Poe portrays some aspects of meta-fiction traits. Most of the ideas being asserted by the narrator emanates from the author. The story narration could be a confession or the narrator could be bragging. Otherwise, why should it be back dated for half a century? Additionally, he exclaims, “In pace requiescat!” at the end of the story (533). This indicates that he could be comforting his soul after making a fifty year old confession. Because I could not stop for Death by Emily Dickinson is also a first person narration that invokes controversy. This is because it presents a multidimensional and complex view of a concept that is mysterious to most readers: death. Just like in the case of The Cask of Amontillado by Poe, the author seems to express his feelings and inner thoughts through the narrator. The poem is identical to the story as it is an account of past experiences. However, the narration brings out the fictional nature of the poem contrary to the factual account of the story that describes the death of Fortunato. The speaker in this case is already resigned and pretty calm with death as she’s probably already dead, “…he kindly stopped for me; the carriage held but just us and immortality” (790). The use of “us” indicates that she has already become part of the immortality. On the other hand, the narrator in Poe’s story did not join Fortunato in his death. The author’s failure to provide any names to the speaker signifies her direct connection of her own feelings to the theme. The speaker does not seek any sympathy or judgment from the readers as is the case of Montresor; she is trying to urge the reader to prepare for the inevitable. Just like in Dickson’s poem because I could not stop for Death, the speaker in I heard a Fly Buzz seems to be past all the pain and sorrows associated with death. It would be logical to assume that the speaker is already dead because the poem is a description of a funeral occasion. The author describes the scene in a manner to suggest that he or she could have been watching the events unfold at a distance. Although the language used by the author is emotional, his true feelings on the incident are not indicated. For instance, we are not informed of their reaction after noticing people wailing over death, “The eyes beside had wrung them dry, and breaths were gathering sure” (790). However, the narrator in The Cask of Amontillado was trying to justify the atrocities he committed against the protagonist. The narrator in this case seems comfortable with his current status while the one in Poe’s story is uncomfortable with his status. The opening lines in both Allan Poe’s story and Emily Dickson’s poems introduce the main theme being discussed. The first line in I heard a fly buzz when I died effectively juxtaposes the momentous and trivial account of the event although it does not rhyme well with the other segments of the poem. The reader could have expected the successive lines to express joy but they make the poem more emotional. This indicates that the speaker may be comfortable with death but I still showing emotional concern. In conclusion, the theme being discussed in the stipulated literary articles are better analyzed by the use of first person narration. Read More