The Fine Line Between Obvious and Oblivious Is it true that one can remain so oblivious to something that is supposedly so obvious? What can one truly say about the fine line between the two and the dangers surrounding them? Portrayed in both, “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe, and “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst, is the impeccable use of foreshadowing by both authors. Foreshadowing adds depth to any piece of literature and if properly recognized by the reader, can be very enticing. This aspect of literature ignites a reader's interest and fuels their curiosity. Foreshadowing can be subtle or blatant as it varies in context, however, in both of these particular short stories, the use of foreshadowing subtly implies that the death of a character would …show more content…
The mentioning of another character also communicates to the reader that someone else may play a role in Fortunato’s death, particularly someone who is not fond of him. Another example of foreshadowing within, “The Cask of Amontillado” occurs when Montresor and Fortunato are having a discussion about the Montresor coat of arms. Fortunato says, “And the motto?” to which Montresor then replies with, “Nemo me impune lacessit” (Poe 237). Through Fortunato’s inquiry the reader is able to learn that the Montresor family coat of arms is, “Nobody attacks me without punishment.” This foreshadows that Montresor definitely has his sights set on getting revenge and may also highlight the fact that Montresor is actually consumed by the desire for vengeance. On another note, the incidents of foreshadowing that occur within “The Scarlet Ibis” may be recognized more so through events that take place in the story, as opposed to dialogue that occurs between characters. For example, the line, “A Scarlet ibis! How many miles it had traveled to die like this, in our yard, beneath the bleeding tree” (Hurst 322). This line communicates to the reader that the Scarlet Ibis has died,