The Black Cat Edgar Allan Poe Analysis

Edgar Allan Poe’s stories all have some type of mysterious setting that makes the reader read in between the lines and decipher the meaning. His stories also incorporate a great deal of violence and sinister acts, which adds a grimness to each story he tells. “The Black Cat” is a true work of literature that incorporates a hidden meaning in the story with the use of sinister violence. In this particular story, the narrator’s use of the first-person point of view, symbolism through the characters, and the eerie setting creates a fascinating tale.

Edgar Allan Poe’s story is told from the first-person point of view. The twist to this story, though, is that Poe is not actually in it. The narrator is anonymous and keeps it that way through the

The symbolism can be very difficult to understand, but if a reader observes the text very carefully, he or she can understand what is trying to be symbolized. Poe loved to add symbolism behind his characters (“Edgar Allan Poe”). He would combine the physical and intangible traits of the characters and make the readers dig deep to discover what the characters are trying to portray in the story (“Edgar Allan Poe”). In “The Black Cat,” symbolism arises from one of the main characters in the story: Pluto. A reader needs to keep in mind that when Pluto is introduced into the story, the narrator had already began to become very delusional because of his alcohol addiction. Pluto symbolizes the guilt that follows the narrator throughout the story. In the story, Pluto loved the narrator and followed him wherever he went. No matter where the narrator went, Pluto was sure to be there. This connection between Pluto and the narrator symbolizes how the evil thoughts that the narrator begun to fathom early in the story would follow him throughout his life. That is why the narrator cut one of Pluto's eyes out, hoping to scare the cat away (Poe 436). This symbolizes the first way the narrator is trying to get rid of the evil in his life. The narrators devilish attempt failed, though. Later on in the story, Pluto shows back up after the narrator thought he had scared Pluto away. At this point, the narrator is infuriated and he

In “The Black Cat” Poe presents many different settings, but none of them are highlighted in great detail. Poe might not have had wanted to focus on certain details, like when and where; instead, Poe may have wanted to focus on revealing the psychotic twist his mind had (“Edgar Allan Poe”). The story is about the bad things that happen within the narrator's life. The vague description of each setting does not bring the story to life, but it does create an suspicious theme to the story. The only settings in the story are the narrator's apartment and the cellar where the narrator killed his wife. Although this particular story does not have a descriptive setting, Poe still accomplished his goal in writing this