Poe's Stories brief biography of edgar allan poe
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Short Story By Flannery OConnor
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- Related Symbols: Page Number 194Explanation and Analysis
| Related Characters Narrator (The Pit and the Pendulum) (speaker) Related Themes: Related Symbols: Page Number 50 Explanation and Analysis In this passage, the narrator becomes aware of his torture. In a dungeon, there is a painting of the figure of Time, carrying a large pendulum that resembles a scythe (a symbol of how Time must "reap" the human race via death). Although the narrator doesn't realize it right away, the painting of Time--and the very real, very sharp pendulum that he's carrying--will be the narrator's next form of torture. The pendulum is a symbol of the inevitability of death--just as time brings all human beings closer and closer to death, the pendulum threatens to kill the narrator, who is trapped in his Gothic torture-chamber, with increasingly terrifying force. The Black Cat Quotes I took from my waistcoat-pocket a penknife, opened it, grasped the poor beast by the throat, and deliberately cut one of its eyes from the socket I blush, I burn, I shudder, while I pen the damnable atrocity. Related Characters Narrator (The Black Cat, The Black Cat (speaker) Related Themes: Get hundreds more LitCharts at www.litcharts.com ©2017 LitCharts LLC v.006 www.LitCharts.com Page 13 Related Symbols: Page Number 194 Explanation and Analysis In this passage, the narrator of the story tortures his own cat by gouging out one of its eyes with his knife. What's interesting to notice in this passage is that the narrator seems both remorseful and remorseless as he describes how he tortured his pet. On one hand, the narrator describes the cat as a "poor beast" and claims that he shudders as he writes about his own actions. On the other hand, the narrator seems to have hurt his cat without any real remorse at the time-it's only later that he begins to regret his actions. In short, the narrator is a deeply divided person- simultaneously good and evil, attracted and repelled by crime. In Poe's stories, the narrators' greatest enemies are themselves--they're trapped by their own divided natures, and can't commit a crime without later being wracked by their own self-hatred. The Purloined Letter Quotes "Perhaps it is the very simplicity of the thing which puts you at fault" said my friend. "What nonsense you do talk!" replied the Prefect, laughing heartily. "Perhaps the mystery is a little too plain" said Dupin. "Oh, good heavens whoever heard of such an idea" "A little too self-evident." "Ha ha ha – ha ha! ha! -ho ho ho" – roared our visitor, profoundly amused, "oh, Dupin, you will be the death of me yet!" Download 0.58 Mb. Share with your friends:
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