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Symbolism In The Masque Of The Red Death

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Many people don’t see the value of little things in life until it’s too late. This idea is shown in the short story, “The Masque of the Red Death”, by Edgar Allan Poe where a terrible disease called the Red Death has struck the country. This gruesome and fatal disease has already killed off half of the kingdom. In an isolated castle there lives a prince with his other wealthy friends and they believe they can avoid this awful disease, but of course this isn’t possible. When the Red Death does appear the prince ends up killed. In “The Masque of the Red Death” Poe uses the symbolism of Prince Prospero, the clock, and the stranger/mummer to show the theme, enjoy the little things in life because one never knows when they will end. Prosperity is the state of being prosperous, or also explained as wealthy, successful, and having luxury or comfort. The character Prince Prospero is shown throughout the short story as a very well off man and is able to do whatever he wants in life, but when it comes to death he doesn’t have …show more content…

In this short story the clock displays that time flies by and every minute people age. So, enjoy every minute like it’s the last. On pages 84 and 85 it says, “while the chimes of the clock yet rang, it was observed that the giddiest grew pale, and the more aged and sedate passed their hands over their brows as if in confused reverie or meditation” (Poe). Every hour all of the people in the castle pause when the clock chimes because it reminds them they are getting closer and closer to the end. Everyone in the castle is afraid of death but if they would just enjoy what they have in that moment in their life then they could enjoy life to its fullest. This connects to the theme enjoy all the little things in life because no one knows when it will all end. All and all, the clock shows all the people in the castle that you can’t waste time because the time may run

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