Edgar Allen Poe The Black Cat
The narrator's wife tries to keep the narrator from killing the cat, but he "buries the ax in her brain." He buries her body in the wall of the cellar.
Explain the circumstance concerning the murder of the narrator's wife?
After the narrator kills his wife, he discovers that the cat is missing. He is confident and happy, and does not believe that his crime will be discovered. The investigators return to his house and request to look around. As the narrator is giving them a tour of the house, he raps on the wall with his cane. The cat, who was buried in the wall, screeches. The investigators tear down the wall and find the cat sitting on top of his dead wife's head.
How does the quote "Be sure your sins will find you out" apply to the resolution of the story?
The new cat has a white patch on his chest.
How the new cat different from Pluto?
The mood of this story is gloomy and suspenseful. The tone is serious. The mood and tone are similar to the video, but the video exaggerates both through visual effects.
The mood of a literary piece refers to the overall feeling that the reader gets from the piece. The tone refers to the author's attitude towards the subject. Knowing the definitions of these terms, what is the mood of this story? What is the tone? Is it different from the YouTube video we watched?
Pluto is a solid black cat who loves the narrator and his wife. Pluto is the name of the Roman god of the underworld.
Describe Pluto. How do the narrator and his wife initially react to him? What is the significance of his name?
As a child, the narrator is quiet and fond of animals. He becomes an irritable, moody, and abusive adult because he develops the disease alcoholism. He calls his malady "Fiend Intemperance."
Describe the narrator as a child and trace his decline. On what does he blame his evil ways? What name does he apply to this malady?
One night, when the narrator comes home drunk, he cuts out Pluto's eye. After this, Pluto is fearful and avoids the narrator.
What does the narrator do to harm Pluto? Why do you think that he does this? How does Pluto react to him after this incident?
He kills Pluto because he loves the cat and seeing the missing eye makes him feel bad. This quote means that the narrator will commit a deadly sin that may send his soul to hell.
What happens the night that the narrator kills Pluto? Explain why you do or do not think the narrator wants to "doom his soul."
