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- The story explores how alcoholism causes the narrator to behave like the tyrant of his household, caring only for his own needs and emotions. The narrator’s emphasis on his previous sensitivity and the happiness of their home emphasizes the stark contrast once alcoholism takes hold.
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‘The Black Cat’ was first published in August 1843 in the Saturday Evening Post. It’s one of Poe’s shorter stories and one of his most disturbing, focusing on cruelty towards animals, murder, and guilt, and told by an unreliable narrator who’s rather difficult to like.
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- Plot Summary
- Symbols
- Major Themes
- Key Quotes
- Questions For Study and Discussion
The nameless protagonist/narrator begins his story by letting the readers know that he was once a nice, average man. He had a pleasant home, was married to a pleasant wife, and had an abiding love for animals. All that was to change, however, when he fell under the influence of demon alcohol. The first symptom of his descent into addiction and even...
Symbols are a key component of Poe's dark tale, particularly the following ones. 1. The black cat:More than just the title character, the black cat is also an important symbol. Like the bad omen of legend, the narrator believes Pluto and his successor have led him down the path toward insanity and immorality. 2. Alcohol: While the narrator begins t...
Love and hate are two key themes in the story. The narrator at first loves his pets and his wife, but as madness takes hold of him, he comes to loathe or dismiss everything that should be of the utmost importance to him. Other major themes include: 1. Justice and truth: The narrator tries to hide the truth by walling up his wife's body but the voic...
Poe's use of language enhance the story's chilling impact. His stark prose is the reason this and other of his tales have endured. Key quotes from Poe's work echo its themes. On reality vs. illusion: On loyalty: On superstition: On alcoholism: On transformation and descent into insanity: On murder: On evil:
Once students have read "The Black Cat," teachers can use the following questions to spark discussion or as the basis for an exam or written assignment: 1. Why do you think Poe chose "The Black Cat" as the title for this story? 2. What are the major conflicts? What types of conflict (physical, moral, intellectual, or emotional) do you see in this s...
- Esther Lombardi
A summary of “The Black Cat” (1843) in Edgar Allan Poe's Poe’s Short Stories. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of Poe’s Short Stories and what it means. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans.
One of the fantastic elements in “The Black Cat” is the existence of the second cat—with the changing shape of its white fur and its appearance on the corpse behind the wall. These plot twists challenge reality, but they do not completely substitute a supernatural explanation for a logical one.
"The Black Cat" is a short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe. It was first published in the August 19, 1843, edition of The Saturday Evening Post. In the story, an unnamed narrator has a strong affection for pets until he perversely turns to abusing them.
- Edgar Allan Poe, 晶 渡部
- 1843
The message of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Black Cat" centers on the consequences of guilt and the destructive effects of alcoholism. The narrator, who commits increasingly...
Need help with The Black Cat in Edgar Allan Poe's Poe's Stories? Check out our revolutionary side-by-side summary and analysis.
