The Black Cat Short Story Review

Narrator

Dynamic character, mental stability is questionable; abuses alcohol and possibly drugs; believes he is under the influence of a demon; violent towards his animals and wife, and eventually kills a cat and his wife; is in jail, and will be executed the next day.

Author

Edgar Allen Poe

Point of View

First person, told in flashback form - the narrator is unreliable, due to his use of alcohol and possible insanity.

Resolution

In a fit of rage (which he blames on the cat) the narrator killed his wife, and hides her behind a wall, where he unknowingly also traps the cat; he almost gets away with his crime, until the cry of the cat alerts the police to the location of the body.

Situational Irony

The abuse and eventual death of Pluto is surprising to the reader, because the narrator loved the cat so much; the murder of his wife is very surprising to the reader.

Person vs. Nature

The narrator battles both cats, and with the second one, there seems to be a supernatural quality about it.

Rising Action

The narrator developed a drinking problem, and as a result, became violent and mistreated his wife, animals, and finally, Pluto.

Falling Action

The narrator finds a cat that greatly resembles Pluto, and takes it home; he soon grows to hate the second cat, because it reminds him of what he did to Pluto, and will not leave him alone.

Person vs. Person

The narrator murders his wife.

Verbal Irony

The narrator says he is mentioning his wife's superstitions belief that black cats are witches in disguise, just because he "happens to remember it" - we know he's trying to make us think, from the beginning, that the cat is evil in some way, to lessen his own guilt.

Exposition

The narrator, sitting in a jail cell, tells the reader that he is going to die tomorrow, but would like to confess his sins, he begins his story by saying he had a happy childhood and marriage, and has always loved animals, especially his black cat, Pluto.

Dramatic Irony

The reader can see that the second cat represents the narrator's conscience or sense of guilt in some way, but the narrator believes it's some kind of demonic influence.

Climax

While drunk one night, the narrator severely harms Pluto; a few days later, he kills the cat, and the night he did this, his house caught on fire and burned down.

Theme

Your actions will always catch up with you; and, the abuse of alcohol will lead to the destruction of one's life.

Foreshadowing 1

1. The second cat has the shape of the noose form in the fur around its neck - this foreshadows that the narrator will be hung, as a result of the cat giving away his crime.

Foreshadowing 2

2. The mark of the cat on the wall after a fire destroys foreshadows that the second cat will be trapped in the wall and will give the narrator's crime away.

Foreshadowing 3

3. Knowing that the narrator is in jail, and will die the next day in the beginning of the story foreshadows that he will commit a serious crime in the story.

The Cats

Large, black cats, both missing eyes, friendly cats who love the narrator, one cat was killed, the other has a white patch in the shape of a noose around its neck; the narrator hates the second cat -- it seems in some way to represent his conscience.

Person vs. Self

Narrator battles his mental state, evil thoughts, and his addictions during the story (main conflict).

Theme (Most Important One)

No matter what, a person's conscience is never voidable; it is always present, demanding to not be ignored;

Mythical Allusion

Pluto's name is also the name of the Roman god of the underworld.

Setting

Probably in America, during the mid-1800's; in a jail cell; the narrator also mentions both of his houses, and areas around the city.

Person vs. Society

When the police come, he tries to hide the body of his wife; he is ultimately arrested.