In The Masque of the Red Death, by Edgar Allen Poe, Prince Prospero reflects one who lives a posh lifestyle. His significance to the story is to show that death takes anyone regardless of wealth. Furthermore, the masked ball itself serves as a distraction for the partygoers, “...it was a folly to grieve, or to think” (Poe, 420). Every room is decorated with its own color, most being colors of happiness, like green, but the seventh room is a dark and dreary red and black colors. That room symbolizes death, for it is designed with colors that are associated with horror movies and blood. In fact, the seventh room also contains the ebony clock that frightens the partygoers every time it rings. The ebony clock petrifies the guests because it literally