Similarities Between The Tell Tale Heart And The Black Cat

The protagonists of Edgar Allan Poe's “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Cask of Amontillado” both portray characters who meticulously plan and execute their acts of murder, compared to the unnamed protagonist in “The Black Cat” who makes impulsive and haphazard actions. In "The Black Cat," the protagonist's lack of foresight and reasoning is evident in his impulsive decision-making, such as cutting Pluto’s eye and killing his wife in a fit of rage. On the other hand, the unnamed protagonist of “The Tell-Tale Heart” and Montresor from “The Cask of Amontillado” display premeditation in their murders. Poe portrays this by having the characters carefully observe their victims and methodically execute their plans. These distinctions highlight the impulsivity

Montresor carefully selects his victim, deliberately luring Fortunato into the catacombs under the guise of sampling a rare wine. In the short story, Montresor reveals, “Throwing them aside, I soon uncovered a quantity of building stone and mortar” (Poe 217). Here, he highlights the deliberateness of his actions when he reveals his plan to wall Fortunato. Montresor would not have been able to wall up Fortunato if he had not placed the items there beforehand. The inner workings of the unnamed narrator in “The Tell-Tale Heart” and Montresor are similar because they plan things out ahead of time. Creating an eerie atmosphere as the characters casually discuss their crimes as though they were normal. According to Elena Baraban, who wrote “The Motive for Murder in ‘The Cask of Amontillado’ by Edgar Allan Poe” published in Rocky Mountain Review of Language and Literature, the article emphasizes that, “‘The Cask of Amontillado' depicts a man who has successfully committed a premeditated murder and escapes punishment” (49). Unlike the unnamed protagonist in "The Black Cat,” who acts impulsively and erratically, Montresor's motives are driven by a desire for revenge, adding complexity to his character and the narrative. This deliberate planning and methodical execution distinguish “The Cask of Amontillado” as a tale of calculated vengeance, further emphasizing the

Throughout the short story, the unnamed protagonist manipulates the perceptions of those around him, particularly the old man he ultimately seeks to murder. Throughout the short story, the unnamed protagonist manipulates the perceptions of those around him. In particular, he focuses on the old man he ultimately seeks to murder. As he states, “I was never kinder to the old man than during the whole week before I killed him” (Poe 41). The unnamed narrator intentionally acts kind towards him to make the old man put his guard down, juxtaposing against the narrator's real motives. This calculated manipulation contrasts with the protagonist's impulsive actions in "The Black Cat." Unlike the protagonist of “The Tell-Tale Heart,” who carefully plans and executes his murder, the protagonist of “The Black Cat” succumbs to fits of rage and impulsivity, leading to reckless violence and a sloppy cover-up. Through these contrasting short stories, Poe highlights the goal-oriented mindset of these