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Symbolism In Cask Of Amontillado

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How seriously do you take the reputation of your family name? If someone hurt that reputation, would you act in any possible way to fix it? In this story, we can see how far a man named Montresor goes to avenge his families stained name. The story is set in the 16th century at a carnival somewhere in Italy. Between two families, there was conflict because one family hurt another in a very bad way. Fortunato has wronged Montresor, but his ignorance leads him to think Montresor is his friend. Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “A Cask of Amontillado” portrays the symbolic meaning of Fortunato’s death through some examples of instances where Poe symbolizes the Montresor motto, the laying of the bricks, and the jingling bells. First and foremost, the …show more content…

At the beginning of the story, Poe mentions that the bells were ring, mostly when Fortunato had something to say. It showed that Fortunato was alive in his foolish clothes. “Montressor first makes a fool of Fortunato by manipulating him, mentioning the Amontillado, then the name of Luchesi” (Explanation, 4). His foolish clothes and foolish bells illustrate the foolish decisions that he will make. Fortunato’s bells also displays his excitement throughout the story. “The gait of my friend was unsteady, and the bells upon his cap jingled as he strode” (Poe, 238). Every time Fortunato got exited in the story, Poe mentions that his bells jingled. Towards the end we see that the bells begin to mean death for Fortunato. His bells seem to be mentioned less when Fortunato approaches the amontillado he desires to taste. “’You jest,’ he exclaimed, recoiling a few paces. ‘But let us proceed to the Amontillado’” (Poe, 239). Though a place like the catacombs would seem creepy for any normal person, Fortunato is not aware of anything suspicious. Then, the last jingle of the bells symbolizes how the life of Fortunato left from him. “There came forth in return only a jingling of the bells” (Poe, 240). The last jingle before the last brick was laid symbolized the closing of the conflict between them and their

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he!” said Fortunato thinking all of this was a joke (Poe 10). But really it was not a joke, and Montresor was planning to kill Fortunato deep inside the eerie catacombs. This foreshadowing that occurs throughout the story creates the suspense that keeps the reader on

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312 Words | 2 Pages

When Montresor tricks Fortunato into coming into the vaults with him it gets the reader on the edge of their seat wondering how Montresor will get his revenge. Poe leaves readers wondering what will happen until the climax comes and Montresor traps Fortunato in the wall of the vault for all eternity.

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960 Words | 4 Pages

Montressor then begins to build a wall, which seals off Fortunato and leaves him for dead. Fortunato screamed and tried to struggle his way out of

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Moreover, in the catacombs, Montresor thrust a torch into the recession, where Fortunato lies, to hear, “...only a jingling of the bells (Poe 97).” The bells serve as a reminder, “The sounding of bells is a signal that informs…(Oldale).” His bells appearing once more convey the consistency of his foolishness. “... Fortunato is wearing a multi-colored cap with bells on it, which is the costume of jesters or fools…(“Course Hero”).”

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In the short story ,”Cask of Amontillado,” there are many examples of irony used by Poe throughout the story. In the story, the Narrator’s biggest challenge is to get revenge on Fortunato for “one thousand injuries,” but he has to plan how he’s going to do it successfully without getting caught. When the Narrator randomly runs into Fortunato, the author states that, “My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met.” (Poe 59). This is an example of verbal irony because the Narrator didn’t mean it was lucky for Fortunato because he was just telling us how he vowed revenge on him.

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532 Words | 3 Pages

Due to the use of first person in Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” Montresor’s syntax and diction are the only mechanisms used to characterize Fortuno in the story. This subjects the perception of both Fortuno and Montresor to a great deal of bias. Although Montresor claims that Fortuno has committed “a thousand injuries” (127) there are never any specific instances of his treachery cited within the text.

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665 Words | 3 Pages

At the beginning of the story the narrator chooses the setting of Carnival. When one thinks of the carnival, the thought of joyful people, celebration and social interaction comes to mind. No one would have thought that that was the precise moment for Montresor to take revenge. The name of Fortunato itself is ironic, because the name of Fortunato means fortune in Italy. When Montresor reveals the audience that he “had fettered [Fortunato] to the granite”, the scene sends chills throughout the reader’s body (Poe 471).

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97 Words | 1 Pages

In “The Cask of Amontillado”, Edgar Allan Poe displays the theme of revenge and manipulation. The narrator Montresor pledges revenge on Fortunato for an insult that is never explained. He maintains an appearance of goodwill towards Fortunato and decides to make use of Fortunato's weakness for fine wines against him. During the carnival season, the narrator approaches Fortunato, telling him that he has come across something that could pass for Amontillado a rare and expensive wine. Fortunato being excited about the news insists on accompanying Montresor to the vaults to determine whether it is Amontillado or not.

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567 Words | 3 Pages

Poe is able to build suspense through foreshadowing. Montressor is dressed in black and looks ominous while Fortunato is dressed as a jester, implying that he is about to made a fool of. On their way into the vault, Montressor continues to mention how they should turn back because the potassium nitrate could make Fortunato sick. This leads the readers to believe that it is possible that Fortunato will relent and go back, but deep down inside it’s obvious that Fortunato is never going to make it out of the vault

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690 Words | 3 Pages

Everybody will eventually want revenge on an old friend or just someone they know. Montressor, similar to many people in the world, wants revenge on one of his old friends, Fortunato. The story opens with, “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best I could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge” (Poe 212). In this statement, Montressor tells the reader what the cause of his revenge against Fortunato is. “The Cask of Amontillado”, written by Edgar Allen Poe, tells the story of how Montressor brings Fortunato into the catacombs to bury him alive.

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1054 Words | 5 Pages

The fictional short story “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe takes place in the catacombs of Montresor’s palace, during the carnival’s climax. The story begins when Montresor, the villain of the story, vows revenge on Fortunato. Throughout the story, the author doesn't tell us what the revenge will be, but his choice of words in the details creates a mood in the reader. The author’s detailed description in the short story creates different moods in the reader like anger, satisfaction, curiosity, and victory because the chosen words connect with the audience.

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1077 Words | 5 Pages

I did not respond. My throat was raw, my voice gone. I should never return to the carnival, where my jester’s cloak blended in with those who dressed alike, whether they wore suits of gold, or raven manks, like that of Montresor’s. In closing my eyes, I found that the darkness behind my eyelids matched that of the darkness around me. “Fortunato!”

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1405 Words | 6 Pages

When Fortunato realizes there is no further hope, he stops his attempts to sway Montresor to release him, and instead of hanging his head in defeat signaling the final jingle of his bells. Fortunato let his ignorance take the best of him, which ultimately leads to his demise. It is this pressing theme of ignorance leading to detrimental situations that Poe conveyed through this

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484 Words | 2 Pages

You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy as once I was. You are a man to be missed. For me it is no matter. We will go back; you will be ill, and I cannot be responsible” (Poe). The reader is aware of Montresor’s murderous plans, while Fortunato has yet to have a clue as he is invited in the catacombs for some wine.

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624 Words | 3 Pages

This represents symbolism in the story, This is a type of figurative language that Poe uses in his stories a lot. He used the jingling of the bells on Fortunato’s cap to stand for the eeriness during the whole story. Also, to give a sort of calm and serenity sound to the story. As he explains the jingling of the bells, you can almost hear them ringing on the cap and you invision Fortunato. Whenever you read a scene with the bells in it, you get a weird yet mysterious mood.

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