SHORT STORY SERIES - The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe

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You know you want to see what the post entails when you see a title with 'Edgar Allan Poe' in it. He doesn't need any introduction. I have been trying to finally complete my hard copy short-story collection for a while now but at the moment I am totally overwhelmed, so it might take some time. I couldn't pass up an opportunity to read from a true virtuoso when I saw this story. I have read a number of other short stories by Poe, and I realized there are more that I haven't even discovered.

Image by Bernie Wrightson

Author - Edgar Allan Poe
Title - The Cask of Amontillado
Originally Published - 1846
Genre - Fiction, Horror, Short Stories

PLOT

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The story is a bit of an irony. The narrator shares with us the experience he had with a friend who was very insulting to him. He was really hurt by the insult so he decided to get revenge against his friend. His friend is a wine connoisseur so he tricks him with the idea of an 'Amontillado' which his friend could not resist. He walks him into a catacomb, and on and on they went until it happened.

CHARACTER(S)

There are two main characters;

Montresor - the narrator; and
Fortunato - his friend

SETTING

The story is set in Italy.

PURPOSE

Typical of all Poe's stories, the story leaves the reader with a lot of question marks. You as an audience would have to deduce a lesson from the story.

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This is the third time I am reading a Poe story, and the predominant theme is horror. Its quite fascinating you see. First off, I'd talk about diction. It's one of old, which does make for a tad difficult read, but one could assimilate its content. Also, the story is ambiguous. The cryptic format allows for endless interpretations which is something that fosters discussions. I mean, your friend hurts you, and then you think of screwing so bad, that you wouldn't mind if he loses his life. The interesting use of suspense is also noteworthy. From the very beginning, I had a feeling this was that type of story that has that feel-good factor underlining, but I was incredibly wrong. I would totally recommend you read it and rate it a 3.5 out of 5. A great piece.

THEMES

FRIENDSHIP - The idea of friendship is a twisted one in this tale. The narrator sits on the fence as a friend, after employing a number of sly psychological tricks to get his friend to his doom
MURDER/HORROR - The main genre of the story. It keeps the reader on edge from the very start. A real tell-tale.

Thank you for reading my short story review. I try to avoid spoilers. PS, don't click reveal:). Everything said herein is actually my own opinion. If there is anything I might have missed out, misinterpreted, or quoted wrongly, please do point to me in the comments. It's a short free online story on American Literature. Till next time. Cheers.