Comparative Analysis Short Story Essay
Both short stories “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe and “A Rose for
Emily” by William Faulkner highlights the issue of revenge and showcases the outcomes of mental illness. In these stories, the main characters, Montresor and Emily, both suffer from mental illness, which causes them later on in the story to lose their sense of humanity and commit murder. Both Montresor and Emily believe that they have been wronged, and thus seek revenge on the ones who have wronged them by murdering them. Not only do they both commit murder, but also they do so by committing it through inhumane methods. Montresor murders his rival by burying him alive, and Emily by poisoning and preserving her boyfriend's dead body. Both stories “The Cask of Amontillado” and “A Rose for Emily” illustrate two mentally unstable characters who lose their sanity and commit murder, revealing how the actions of people in the upper class, which were unchecked because of their social status, result in the commission of reprehensible actions. In the story The Cask of Amontillado” both Montresor and Fortunato come from high social and prominent classes. In the beginning of the story, one may assume that Montresor did not come from any prominent social class;
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During those time periods the stories took place, the rich and noble class of society were not checked or questioned about their behavior, which gave them the opportunity to commit many actions including murder without being held accountable. In addition, both stories illustrate the effect of isolation on a person, which can lead to insanity. Both Montresor and Emily were victims of isolation, which impacted their behaviors and actions and drove them to commit
From what kind of story he is telling the reader, to how he describes other characters, and from his actions, Montresor is an extremely unreliable source of information. Vengeance and pride both play a large role in “The Cask of Amontillado” and because of that Montresor loses credibility. Telling the story through the eyes of the one acting on revenge makes it so we are to believe he
While confessing his crime, Montresor seems as not having any feeling of guilty due to the peaceful way that he started to narrate at the beginning of the story. But, as soon Montresor started to talk about his feelings of jealousy and hate towards Fortunato, the reader can change the way its reading the story and the point of view towards Montresor. The “Cask of Amontillado” gives an open clue in the beginning of the story of why Montresor killed Fortunato and the motive of madness that he got along the story while confessing his crime. Montresor didn’t start to narrate the story angry or tense but calmly, accepting what he did and how he planned. The “Cask of Amontillado” took place
“The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe and “Man in the Well” by Ira Sher are two short stories that are alike in many ways as well as different. Both stories share the theme of confinement which is central to the stories and a trapped victim who is tricked many times. Along with their similarities, the short stories also have differences such as the mindset of the perpetrator and the social classes within which the stories are set.
Madness and desperation can motivate some of the most extreme actions of individuals. For instance, when faced with a loneliness she was forced into by her overprotective father, Miss Emily Grierson in “A Rose for Emily” struggles to cope with a changing environment after his death. Her mental deterioration even culminates into the murder of her significant other Homer Barron to keep him from leaving her as well. In his story, William Faulkner foreshadows Miss Emily’s mental instability from the very beginning with specific hints. Some of those tactics are portrayed in the description of Miss Emily’s family history, the words and actions of the community, and her inability to distinguish between the past and the present.
In the short story “A Rose for Emily” written by William Faulkner, Emily, the protagonist, is shown as someone who’s life is falling apart and brought down by society. Emily in this story could be described as a victim to society and her father. Emily Grierson’s confinement, loss of her father and Homer, and constant criticism caused her, her insanity.
In William Faulkner’s story “A Rose for Emily” his main character Miss Emily Grierson’s deranged behavior leaves the reader questioning her mental status.
It is often said that revenge is sweet, but that phrase does not hold to be extremely true throughout The Cask of Amontillado. There are various themes and lessons throughout the story, but there is one theme that seems to be shown more than others. The most prevalent theme is that jealousy can lead to vengeance, and ultimately lead to the downfall, or even death, of a person. This theme is clearly evident through the two main characters, Montresor and Fortunato. By looking closer at Montresor’s words and actions toward Fortunato, it is apparent that there is a superfluous amount of jealousy between them. This jealousy that is between them ends up playing a major part in Montresor ultimately killing Fortunato, someone who was thought to be one of his best friends. The author uses the characters and their actions to develop a solid plot line and prove the point that jealousy and revenge can destroy a person, both figuratively and literally.
Edgar Allan Poe, an American born writer and poet during the early 19th century, is known for his dark and twisted diction that continues to captivate readers to this day. Nearly all of Poe’s stories contain hidden symbolism and themes that entice readers to discover the secrets in his writings over a hundred years later and the “Cask of Amontillado” is no different. Written in November of 1846, nearly three years before Poe’s death, “The Cask of Amontillado” is often regarded as one of Poe’s master pieces, full of symbolism and dramatic irony. Edgar Allan Poe’s dramatic ironies and symbolisms in his short story “The Cask of Amontillado” convey a dark theme of pain, manipulation, and the impact of revenge.
Edgar Allan Poe is acknowledged today as one of the most brilliant writers and masters of horrors in American literature. This can be seen in his two short stories “The Cask of Amontillado” and “The Tell-Tale-Heart”. Both of these stories are written in first person and ends with their victim 's death. These stories contain many similarities and differences in term of the characters, theme, mood, irony, setting, confession, and the reason for committing murder.
The author, William Faulkner, has a collection of books, short stories, and poems under his name. Through his vast collection of works, Faulkner attempts to discuss and bring awareness to numerous aspects of life. More often than not, his works were created to reflect aspects of life found within the south. Family dynamics, race, gender, social class, war, incest, racism, suicide, necrophilia, and mental illness are just some of the aspects that Faulkner explored. In “A Rose for Emily” the aspects of necrophilia and mental illness along with the societal biases that were observed in a small-town setting are seen to be a part of this captivating story. These aspects ultimately intertwine with the idea of insanity that characterizes “A Rose
In the short story “A Rose for Emily,” by William Faulkner (79-84), Emily Grierson has no concept of time. She is living in the past and refuses to accept the death of her father. She lives in an isolated fantasy where she convinces herself that her father is still alive. Emily has no intentions of accepting reality. She refuses to acknowledge the death of her father and also the death of her lover, Homer. Her character could be perceived as psychotic because she has lost contact with reality and murdered her lover. Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The Cask of Amontillado” (144-149), has many similar themes. The concept of time is prominent because Montresor is telling his story fifty years after it occurred. He is also living with death
The last indirect factor that could contribute to Montresor’s vengeful act, and thus the story’s theme of revenge, is the short story’s social class aspects and how they relate to both Montresor and Fortunato. At this
The short story "A Rose for Emily" is one that tells about a woman who lives a life of secrets, love, and neglect. Living in selective isolation, her mental health closely resembles that of a 21st Century murderer. Emily has the characteristics of a person with a behavioral personality disorder, or schizophrenia by choosing self-isolation, premeditating murder and keeping a trophy.
Cask of Amontillado” 1). As the two go down further, Montresor uses compassion to make his
No one would have ever suspected that Emily Grierson was capable of murder, much less keeping that murder a secret for over thirty years. Under the watchful, judging eyes of the townspeople, she kept up the pretense that she was a sane-minded, upper class individual, while she spiraled privately into a heinous madness that would claim the life of her beloved. Through stream of consciousness, the townspeople show the reader how Emily’s descent was as much their fault as it was