Sarah Schrader Mr. Grimme CPC 4 25 October 2014 The Black Heart Edgar lle! Poe remai!" a #er$ %ell k!o%! %riter beca&"e o' hi" (reci"e %riti!g tech!i) tech !i)&e" &e" a!d certai certai! ! "t$le "t$le o' the theme. me. Poe ha" %ritt %ritte! e! !&mero !&mero&" &" "hort "hort "t "tori orie" e" %ith %ith e#ide!t "e(aratio!" b&t al"o com(ari"o!" be!eath the "&r'ace. *The Tell Tale Heart+ a!d *The Black Cat+ e,i"t a" t%o o' Poe-" mo"t re!o%!ed "hort "torie" beca&"e o' their gothic theme m$"terio&" character" a!d rhetorical e!di!g". *The Tell Tell Tale Tale Heart+ tell" the "tor$ o' a! &!!amed !arrator cari!g 'or a! old ma!. The !arrator i" co!ti!&o&"l$ aggra#ated b$ the old ma!-" (ale bl&e e$e %hich lead" him to take e,ce""i#e actio!". The "tor$ goe" thro&gh the (rogre""io! o' ho% the !arrator "!eak" i!to the old ma!-" room 'or "e#e! !ight" a!d <imatel$ <imatel$ m&rder" m&rder" him. *The Black Cat+ tell" tell" the "tor$ o' a!other &!!amed !arrator %ith the lo#e 'or a!imal". Thi" "tor$ co!#e$" a !arrator de#elo(i!g "&ch great mood "%i!g" it lead" him to #iole!tl$ m&rder hi" cat a!d %i'e. &thor" "ometime" %rite &!alike (lot"/ ho%e#er Poe-" %riti!g" "(eci'icall$ *The Tell Tale Heart+ a!d *The Black Cat+ di"(la$ "imilar "$mbol" com(arable o&tcome" a!d 'ir"t (er"o! !arrati#e %hich gi#e" the reader a better &!der"ta!di!g o' the !arrator-" i!"a!it$. The *e$e+ e,i"t" a" a (re#ale!t "$mbol i! both *The Tell Tell Heart+ a!d *The Black Cat+. The e$e re#eal" it"el' i! *The Tell Tale Heart+ a" the old ma!-" e$e. The character de(ict" i""&e" %ith hi" i!!er #i"io! or hi" o&tlook o! the %orld a" the !arrator de"cribed. The e$e a((ear" to ha#e "tra!ge (o%er" i! the "tor$. The !arrator "tate" he %a!t" to kill
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the old ma! beca&"e beca&"e hi" e$e re"emb re"emble" le" that o' a #<&r #<&re. e. The !arra !arrator tor e,(re""e e,(re""e"" hi" 'eeli!g" a!d tho&ght" o' the e$e m<i(le time" i! the "tor$. *e(lace" the board" "o cle#erl$ "o c&!!i!gl$ that !o h&ma! e$e!ot e#e! hi" co&ld ha#e detected a!$thi!g %ro!g.+ *Tell Tale Heart+ (.23 The e$e i" re'erred ma!$ time" a" the *#<&re e$e+. The e$e co&ld mea! ma!$ thi!g" to the !arrator o!e bei!g it bei!g a "$mbol o' death. Beca&"e he re'er" to the e$e a" a *#<&re e$e+ o!e ca! i!'er it a" a literal mea!i!g. <&re" are "$mbol" o' death the$ (re$ o! the "ick or %eak gorge them"el#e" to the (oi!t o' "t&(or a!d are the o((o"ite o' commo! bird" "&ch a" a harmle"" robi!. O! the co!trar$ the !arrator co&ld ha#e 'elt #&l!erable to the old ma! a" a!other i!ter(retatio! co&ld re(re"e!t the #<&re a" threate!i!g a!d %atch'&l. " the ma!-" e$e dri#e" the !arrator "o "e!"ele"" that he m&rder" him there i" a #ariatio! i! the !arrator-" rea"o! o' killi!g the cat. The !arrator i! *The Black Cat+ e,(re""e" hi" ob"e""io! %ith the *e$e+ %he! he c&t" o&t Pl&to hi" cat-" e$e. * took 'rom m$ %ai"tcoat6 (ocket a (e!6 k!i'e o(e!ed it gra"(ed the (oor bea"t b$ the throat a!d deliberatel$ c&t o!e o' it" e$e 'rom the "ocket7+ *The Black Cat+ (.23 The e$e di"(la$" "tra! "tra!ge ge (o%er" i! *The Black Cat+ a'ter the i!cide!t beca&"e Pl&to the! become" a'raid o' the !arrator. Pl&to a#oid" the !arrator thro&gho&t the (eriod o' ha#i!g o!e e$e. The e$e i! *The Black Cat+ co&ld ha#e a "imilar mea!i!g mea!i!g a" i! the other "tor$ "tor$ bei!g it i" a "$mbol "$mbol o' comi!g death. The e$e bei!g (re"e!ted a!d di"(la$ed i! both "torie" co&ld be 'ore"hado%i!g a !ear death i! the "tor$. Shortl$ a'ter the !arrator c&t o&t the e$e o' the cat he killed it. Poe i!cl&ded &!ambig&o&" image" 'or hi" reader" 'or the "ake o' imager$ a!d to better e,(re"" the "ce!er$ o' the "tor$. ! additio! to the "torie" "imilar "$mbol the !arrator al"o (ortra$" "imilar o&tcome".
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! both *The Tell Tale Heart+ a!d *The Black Cat+ the !arrator attem(t" to get a%a$ %ith a (er'ect m&rder/ ho%e#er hi" im(atie!t character co!)&ered i!"tead. ! both *The Tell Tale Heart+ a!d *The Black Cat+ the (olice come to the !arrator-" ho&"e "hortl$ a'ter the m&rder. ! *The Tell Tale Tale Heart+ Poe bei!g the !arrator %a" calm %he! the (olice arri#ed beca&"e he tho&ght e#er$thi!g %a" "et &( (er'ectl$ a!d there %a" !o cha!ce o' e,(o"&re. 8hile the (olice %ere chatti!g the !arrator ke(t heari!g !oi"e" he tho&ght %ere comi!g 'rom hi" head. Hi" im(atie!t a!d mad "el' "oo! co&ld!-t take the !oi"e a!$more there'ore he e,(o"ed him"el'. *illai!"7+ "hrieked *9i""emble !o more7 admit the deed7 Tear &( the (la!k"7 Here here7 it i" the beati!g o' hi" hideo&" heart7+ *The Tell Tale Heart (. 43 :ike hi" attit&de i! *The Tell Tale Heart+ the !arrator i" al"o #er$ co!'ide!t %he! the (olice "ho% &( i! *The Black Cat+. The (olice arri arri#e #e i! "earch o' the !arrator-" %i'e a!d "(eci'icall$ i!"(ect the cellar %here the dead bod$ i" hidde!. The !arrator decided to tell the (olice abo&t the ho&"e hi" %ork o' art a!d doi!g "o he hit" the cellar %ith hi" ca!e. ""&red a!d calm the !arrator became tra&mati;ed %he! the mi""i!g cat e,(o"ed him"el' i! the cellar. The (olice the! 'i!d the bod$ a!d (&!i"h the !arrator 'or the crime. The !arrator ob"e""e" o#er committi!g the (er'ect crime i!#ol#i!g !ot getti!g ca&ght %hich i" (ortra$ed thro&gh hi" co!ti!&o&" !eed actio!" o' e,traordi!ar$ co#er6&(" o' the m&rder" %hich lead to hi" "el'6a""&ra!ce %hile the (olice %ere "earchi!g hi" ho&"e. The !arrator-" abilit$ ob"e""io! %ith hi" im(eccable m&rder" tie" i! %ith hi" h i" trait o' i!"a!it$. The eleme!t o' i!"a!it$ i" "ho%! at the begi!!i!g o' each "tor$ %he! the !arrator declare" he i"!-t mad a!d (ercei#ed thro&gho&t the e!tire "tor$ thro&gh 'ir"t (er"o! !arrati#e. ! *The Tell Tale Heart+ the !arrator e,claim" *Tr&e7 <er#o&"#er$ #er$
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dread'&ll$ !er#o&" had bee! a!d am/ b&t %h$ %ill $o& "a$ that am mad=+ *The Tell Tale Tale Heart+ (.13 The heartbeat a!d the e$e o' the old ma! dri#e the !arrator "o i!"a!e that he m&rd m&rder er"" him him %hic %hich h de demo mo!" !"tr trat ate" e" ch char aract acter eri" i"ti tic" c" o' i! i!"a "a!i !it$ t$.. The The !a !arr rrat ator or co!ti!&o&"l$ attem(t" to co!#i!ce the reader he i"!-t mad. ! *The Black Cat+ Poe %rite" *Ma! i!deed %o&ld be e,(ect it i! a #a"e %here m$ #er$ "e!"e re>ect their o%! e#ide!ce. ?et mad am !ota!d #er$ "&rel$ do !ot dream+ *The Black Cat+ (.13 8hile he i" tr$i!g to co!#i!ce the reader o' hi" !ormal trait" he i" doi!g the o((o"ite %hile e,hibiti!g i!"a!e del&"io!". Poe co!!ect" the eleme!t o' i!"a!it$ #er$ %ell i!to the !arrator-" !arrat or-" character character i! both the "torie". "torie". The characteri"t characteri"tic" ic" (ro#ide (ro#ide thrilli!g thrilli!g a!d i!te!"e i!te!"e detail deta il"" that that are #ital #ital 'or imager imager$ $. Thro&gh Thro&gh the tho&ght tho&ght"" a!d 'eeli 'eeli!g" !g" Poe e,(re" e,(re""e" "e" thro&gho&t the "tor$ the reader i" able to #i#idl$ (ercei#e the 'eeli!g" a!d &!der"ta!d the rea"o!" behi!d the !arrator-" actio!" more clearl$. @ir"t (er"o! !arrati#e add" a di"ti!ct #ie%(oi!t o' the "tor$ beca&"e o' the th e !arrator-" (er"o!al (er"(ecti#e o! the "it&atio!. Poe di"(la$ed "imilar "$mbol" com(arable o&tcome" a!d the eleme!t o' i!"a!it$ i! both *The Tell Tale Heart+ a "tor$ abo&t a )&e"tio!abl$ i!"a!e ma! taki!g care o' a! old ma! %ith a! &!&"&al e$e a!d *The Black Cat+ a "tor$ abo&t a! i!"a!e ma! %ho tort&re" hi" cat 'or a! &!ob#io&" rea"o! a!d later kill" hi" %i'e. Poe-" te!de!c$ o' "imilar a"(ect" o' "torie" (ro#ide" the reader %ith a better &!der"ta!di!g o' him"el'. Hi" "hort "torie" ha#e ma!$ a((are!t di"ti!ctio!" i! (lot/ !e#erthele"" he ma$ i!cl&de "imilar 'eat&re" 'or a re(eati!g theme. Hi" "torie" are o'te! #er$ "imilar i! theme %hich (ortra$" %hat ma$ ha#e bee! goi!g o! i! hi" mi!d %he! he %rote them or he ma$ ha#e do!e it >&"t thro&gh hi" %riti!g "t$le.
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8ork" Cited
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A!al$"i" o' Edgar lla! Poe" The Black Cat Poe The Black Cat E""a$".A Analysis E""a$".A Analysis of Edgar Allan Poe's The Black Cat Poe The Black Cat Essays. Essays. <.(. !.d. ! .d. 8eb. 8eb. 0 <o#. 2014. AEdgar lla! Poe" AThe Tell6Tale Tell6Tale HeartAA The Poe Decoder . <.(. !.d. 8eb. 0 <o#. 2014. APoe" AThe Tell6Tale HeartA 6 S&mmar$ S$mboli"m a!d Poi!t o' ie%.A Bright ie%.A Bright Hub Education.. <.(. !.d. 8eb. Education 8eb. 05 <o#. <o #. 2014. Shmoo( Editorial Team. AThe Black Cat S&mmar$.A Shmoopcom Shmoopcom.. Shmoo( D!i#er"it$ D! i#er"it$ !c. 11 <o#. 200. 8eb. 0 <o#. 2014. Shmoo( Editorial Ed itorial Team. Team. AThe Tell6Ta Tell6Tale le Heart S$mboli"m mager$ F llegor$.A llegor$.A Shmoopcom.. Shmoo( D!i#er"it$ !c. 11 <o#. 200. 8eb. Shmoopcom 8eb. 0 <o#. 2014.