The Black Cat Analysis Essay - 1107 Words

Edgar Allen Poe’s short story The Black Cat immerses the reader into the mind of a murdering alcoholic. Poe himself suffered from alcoholism and often showed erratic behavior with violent outburst. Poe is famous for his American Gothic horror tales such as the Tell-Tale Heart and the Fall of the House of Usher. â€Å"The Black Cat is Poe’s second psychological study of domestic violence and guilt. He added a new element to aid in evoking the dark side of the narrator, and that is the supernatural world.† (Womack). Poe uses many of the American Gothic characteristics such as emotional intensity, superstition, extremes in violence, the focus on a certain object and foreshadowing lead the reader through a series of events that are horrifying†¦show more content†¦They named the cat Pluto, which is the name of the god of the underworld in Roman mythology. He mentions that his wife â€Å"†¦made frequent allusion to the ancient popular notion, which regarded all black cats as witches in disguise† (Poe 513). He says that he is only writing this because he just remembered her saying it to him. On the night of the day that he hung Pluto, he awoke to his house burning down. An image of a gigantic cat with a rope around its neck appeared in the plaster of one of the walls. While patronizing one of his drinking haunts, he sees a very large black cat and thinks it could replace Pluto and take away his pain. He asked if he could purchase the cat, but no one had ever seen the cat before, so he brings it home. The next morning he discovers the cat has a very similar physical trait as Pluto, a missing eye. There was something different about this cat, it had a white mark on the breast of its fur. As time went on the white marking on the cat became a more pronounced outline of the gallows. It was the howl, â€Å"†¦a wailing shriek, half of horror and half of triumph, such as might have arisen only out of hell† (Poe 518) that revealed to the police his wife’s body that he had buried in the wall. This presents a question, was Pluto a witch in disguise that returned from the dead to burn the house down and drive his master into completeShow MoreRelatedThe Black Cat Analysis857 Words   |  4 PagesThe Tale of Two Cats The title of Edgar Allan Poe’s â€Å"The Black Cat† leads the reader to believe the short story is about one black cat. However, almost in the middle of the story a second cat emerges. Are the second cat one of the nine lives of the first cat? The narrator seems to be struggling with this question and considering the genre is horror, I as the reader also struggles with this question. Since the narrator hints the second cat may be the same as the first, the reader must look atRead MorePsychoanalytic Analysis on the Black Cat649 Words   |  3 PagesA Psychoanalytic Analysis on The Black Cat By Edgar Allan Poe First of all, let us go into the world of â€Å"The Black Cat† and delve into the inner workings of the dark side of the human mind. The Black Cat is a story that leaves the reader perplexed to some extent. It certainly contains all the ingredients necessary to satisfy the appetite of any Poe enthusiast – an enigmatic narrator, alcohol , mutilation, strangulation, murder, and, last but not least, one of Poes slight obsessionsRead MoreAnalysis Of The Black Cat And Frankenstein 1750 Words   |  7 Pagesto benefit them. Two great literary works that illustrate the dynamic between protagonist and â€Å"other† are The Black Cat and Frankenstein. In The Black Cat the protagonist is an unnamed man who abuses his cat representing the â€Å"other† in his life. Gouging out his cats eye and hanging his cat ends up brining about his demise at the hands of the â€Å"other.† This demise is the result of the cat becoming part of the establishment and the narra tor moving away from it. The iconic novel Frankenstein tellsRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of The Black Cat803 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"†¦ nothing more than an ordinary succession of very natural causes and effects.† (Poe 718) Edgar Allen Poe in The Black Cat speaks of his demonic thoughts and his murderous crimes. Poe did kill his wife intentionally, and there is evidence that his wicked demons of hatred made him do it, and because of that†¦ Poe has no remorse for murdering the woman that he married. Poe states that he is diseased with alcohol that resulted in the individuals around him experiencing the effects of his ill temperRead MoreAnalysis Of The Dream In The Black Cat1146 Words   |  5 PagesWith this in mind, it is irrational for a person to find the person of their dreams—the wife in â€Å"The Black Cat†Ã¢â‚¬â€then hit them with an axe and seal them into a wall. The narrator does this to his wife. The narrator claims that it was â€Å"a s eries of mere household events† and that â€Å"from [his] infancy [he] was noted for the docility and humanity of [his] disposition† (Poe 349). Murder is not a mere household event, and â€Å"[t]he narrator cannot understand that his assault upon another person derives fromRead MorePsychoanalytical Analysis of The Black Cat Essay624 Words   |  3 Pages In Edgar Allen Poes short story, The Black Cat, there is a lot of symbolism regarding hidden attributes of his life. The black cat itself represents not only a hidden meaning but a meaning the narrator wished to keep hidden. The black cat symbolizes the narrators or Poes alcoholism. Edgar Allen Poe has been accused of being an alcoholic throughout his life and it may have actually lead up to the cause of his death. The short story may give a subtle view at Poes fight with the disease andRead MoreEssay about Black Cat Short Story Analysis994 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The Black Cat† Analysis When reading a short story many people take the details given to be the unconditional truth. This is probably why so many of these people are confused or repulsed by a story like â€Å"The Black Cat.† Throughout the story, the narrator makes numerous contradictions. These contradictions, combined with his actions make me doubt the legitimacy and truth of what he says. In the first few paragraphs of the story, the narrator makes a point of rejecting the idea that he is madRead MoreThe Black Cat Edgar Allan Poe Analysis727 Words   |  3 Pages The events that unfolded in Edgar Allen Poe’s, â€Å"The black Cat,† are all due to one person, the narrator. It is because of his Mental state, being an alcoholic, and being abusive to his wife and pets that the fault lies heavily on the narrator. What this paper will entail is all three of the reasons why it is the narrators fault for what happens in the story and it will come to a conclusion based off the findings in the story. Read MoreAn Analysis Of Edgar Allan Poe s The Black Cat 1650 Words   |  7 Pagesconnected to his tragic life events. â€Å"The Black Cat† is one of Edgar’s well-known short stories. It is about a man that endured a series of tragic events. This man was very feminine and his lack of masculinity soon got the best of him. One day the man began to hurt all of his animals and even his wife, but not the black cat. He thought by acting this way it would prove his manliness. The man’s liking to alcohol consumed him and he then murdered his favorite cat, he felt somewhat remorse the next dayRead MoreSupernatural Essay1273 Words   |  6 PagesSupernatural (702 quotes).† (702 quotes), ― William Shakespeare, Hamlet , Act 1 Scene V www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/supernatural. B. Background information (titles, authors, book information, definitions, etc.) â€Å"The Black Cat† by Edgar Allan Poe: as the narrator slips into insanity, his grasp on rheality falters, and images, dreams, and unnatural emotions lead to murder and animal cruelty. â€Å"The Raven† by Edgar Allan Poe: â€Å"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow† by Washington

Hamlet, By William Shakespeare - 900 Words

In this story Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, there was an excessive deal of questions surrounding Hamlet’s mental state. Claudius’s nephew hadn’t been the same since his father passed away. It’s been up for discussion as if he’s actually senseless surrounding the death, or the wedding between his mom and uncle. Gertrude and the King married approximately a month or two after the funeral. At this point it’s not actually established what the cause of his actions is. Was Hamlet at fault for Polonius’s death? If Hamlet is playing demented, has he seriously become absurd? I plan to discuss Hamlet’s mental state and answer a few of the questions above surrounding his mental health. This is a wonderful topic to discuss, this story had a weird ending, and I know it has a deeper meaning. I also recognize it is connected with people’s feelings. The type of feelings one has toward something and recognizes it doesn’t feel right. That gut feeling; intuition is the word I’m looking for. The queen’s son’s intuition played a major role in this, and it benefits that he’s clever. Gertrude’s son truly has a strategy to all of his actions. Which, in fact, lets us identify that he wasn’t illogical. Shakespeare is in fact, a genius for the conception of this story. This is true since these exist as forms of effects society are challenged with today, which is often misunderstood. Readers need to be aware of the level of carefully plotted events and consider the influence that it has onShow MoreRelatedHamlet, By William Shakespeare880 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeare is praised as the pioneering English poet and playwright whose collection of theatrical works is regarded as the greatest artistic value throughout the history of English literature. Shakespeare delved into the spiritual and mental component of humanity and the consequences that arise from this human spirit when it is disputed. The most famous revenge tragedy play, Hamlet, is an excellent illustration of Shakespeare’s philosophical study of human nature. In Hamlet, the arguableRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare899 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeare, author of Hamlet, was a well-known author in the 1500s and is still popular today. He was born on April 24, 1564 in London, England. Although there were no birth records at that time, it shows he was baptized one year prior to that, which leads us to believe his birthday was in 1564 because children were normally baptized a year after their birth. Shakespeare’s writing style was very different than others at that time. He used many metaphors and rhetorical phrases, and most ofRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare996 Words   |  4 PagesHamlet, written by William Shakespeare, with out a doubt holds the most famous soliloquy in English history spoken by Hamlet in Act III, scene i, lines 57-90. This soliloquy holds much importance to the play as a whole because it ties together the reoccurring themes of suicide and Hamlet’s inaction portrayed by Shakespeare. Hamlet poses a problem, which is the driving force of the play: â€Å"To be or not to be?†(III.i.57). Shakespeare uses this logical question asked by Hamlet to drive out his underlyingRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare1178 Words   |  5 Pages In William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, the protagonist suffers from struggles with major characters, especially with the women in his life. While reading the play Hamlet, Hamlet appears to be a disillusioned man. Throughout the play, Shakespeare has only casted two females: Gertrude and Ophelia. Gertrude is defined to be incestuous, naà ¯ve and cold-hearted. On the other side, Ophelia is characterized to be ignorant, innocent and fearful. After the quick marriage of his mother and evil uncle, Hamlet’sRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare1308 Words   |  6 PagesHamlet is arguably one of the greatest tragedies in all of literature and when most people think of tragic plays, they think of none other than the one who wrote it, William Shakespeare. This classic story of revenge excites it’s readers with its main character, Prince Hamlet, who goes through the unique human-like process of revenge that is often overlooked. Many other stories rely heavily on the logi c of good people doing good things and bad people doing bad things just for the sake of their natureRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare Essay1453 Words   |  6 PagesHamlet by William Shakespeare explores many aspects of mankind--death, betrayal, love, and mourning. Out of these, the most prominent theme in this play is death in the form of suicide. The main character, Hamlet, finds himself questioning the quality of life and the uncertainty of the afterlife once he discovers news of his father s death and the corruption in the kingdom that follows. Ophelia, Hamlet’s lover, is found dead later in the plot and is presumed to have committed suicide. In Hamlet’sRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare1146 Words   |  5 PagesA character so complex, enticing and fascinating, his name is Hamlet. We are all Hamlet, and that, is the argument. Hamlet is an enigmatic character with many flaws. These flaws are the ones that prove similarities between us and him. A play so popular and significant is due to its huge relevance to us as a society. In the play Hamlet, William Shakespeare uses Hamlet’s character and metaphor to demonstrate that when one is left alone to their thoughts, these thoughts overtake reason. ConsequentlyRead MoreHamlet by William Shakespeare1456 Words   |  6 PagesThe play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, takes place in a time where the impossible was a part of the lives of everyday people. Occurrences that people in the modern time would believe unbelievable. Yet, with just a quill and parchment Shakespeare’s is able to connect the past and present by weaving a plot with skill that is still unparalleled to this day. The play Hamlet this exceeds this expectation by revealing depth of Hamlets, the protagonists, character personality through the useRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare1920 Words   |  8 PagesIn the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, the character Hamlet must deal with both external and internal conflict. Hamlet encounters many struggles and has trouble finding a way to deal with them. With so many corrupt people in his life, Hamlet feels as if there is no one that he can trust and begins to isolate himself from others. A result from this isolation leads Hamlet to become melancholy. Hamlet struggles with suicidal thoughts, wants to kill King Claudius, and is distraught over his mother’sRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare846 Words   |  4 Pagesalways been a contemplative topic. In Hamlet, the main character Hamlet thinks to himself about suicide. Hamlet was written by William Shakespeare. Shakespeare wrote Hamlet between 1599 and 1602. William Shakespeare is one of the greatest playwrights in history. Hamlet is about Prince Hamlet of Denmark who is trying to find out about the death of his father after his father s ‘ghost’ comes to him telling him it was his uncle who had killed him. While Hamlet contemplates suicide he gives his famous

The Importance of Setting Free Essays

The path to becoming an adult is lined with a variety of childhood and adolescent experiences, some more painful than others. In T. Coraghessen Boyle’s short story, â€Å"Greasy Lake,† Boyle masterfully uses the setting and the protagonist’s experience to teach us an old but vital lesson: those who choose not to learn and grow from their past mistakes are destined to repeat them, and thus will never mature and realize their true potential. We will write a custom essay sample on The Importance of Setting or any similar topic only for you Order Now At the beginning of the story, the main character (who also happens to be the narrator) depicts his adolescence as â€Å"a time when courtesy†¦went out of style, when it was good to be bad, when you cultivated decadence like a taste† (621). The three thought of themselves as dangerous characters, riding around town wreaking havoc. However, it seems unclear to the main character and his two friends that in reality, they are not actually bad characters. Really bad characters don’t drive their â€Å"parents’ whining station wagons† (621) or read intellectual French novels by Andre Gide. Boyle gives us a general thought that these three boys are just your ordinary, everyday, misguided juvenile delinquents with an unclear view of what it really means to be a man. Later in the story, the narrator depicts a scene at the main setting of â€Å"Greasy Lake. † There, the three boys provoke who is described as the â€Å"very bad character† (623). The events that took place led the three to realize the ugly truth: they are nothing more than just three kids on an adventure for the night; little did they know what was in store for them. After a lengthy description of the fight that took place between the four characters, the three boys find themselves attempting to rape the girl that was accompanying the â€Å"very bad character. † Luckily, before they can go any farther, another vehicle pulls into the scene, scaring the boys as the flee away. They all run in different directions, leaving them all separated from each other. The main character, with no place else to hide, plunges into the greasy lake. The water is completely contaminated; â€Å"it was fetid and murky, the mud banks glittering with broken glass and strewn with beer cans and the charred remains of bonfires† (622). The setting of â€Å"Greasy Lake† contributes to the plot in a sense of the troubles of the three teenage boys. Much of the story takes place at Greasy Lake, which is not an ordinary, everyday, swimming with the family type of lake. There are crowded trees, which draws a picture of a dark forest with very little light seeping through. The island in the middle of the lake has little or no vegetation, giving the reader a feeling of death. It is also littered with things such as beer cans, broken glass, and bonfire remains. These are items that make you think of loss of control, violence, or even destruction. These ideas could surely lead to something bad happening. The water itself is described as â€Å"fetid and murky† (622). There are two different aspects of time to consider when looking at â€Å"Greasy Lake. † First of all, there is the fact that it is 2 a. m. The middle of the night is commonly a time of day when bad things occur. It is probably considered that the good, peaceful people are at home in bed. Therefore, if someone is up and about they are most likely wreaking havoc. Secondly, there is the year that the story takes place. It was written in the eighties, and it takes place in a time when â€Å"it was good to be bad† (621). Therefore, it is likely that something bad is sure to occur. The setting also serves a very important purpose to most stories by evoking a certain atmosphere. Work Cited Boyle, T. Coraghessan. â€Å"Greasy Lake. † 621 Kirszner, Laurie G. , and Stephen R. Mandell, eds. Literature: Reading, Writing. 8th ed. Boston: Wadsworth, 2013 Print. How to cite The Importance of Setting, Papers

Appendix free essay sample

Choose two settings from Ch. 9 of the text and list each setting. Then, complete the following tables. List five threats appropriate to the environment from the setting you chose. Rate the risk for each threat from 0 (low) to 10 (high). Then, list five appropriate countermeasures, including at least two countermeasures specific to physical security and one countermeasure specific to personnel and security management. Once you have completed the tables, write a brief explanation of each countermeasure, stating how the countermeasure reduces the risk associated with that threat. Setting 1: Hospital THREAT RISK COUNTERMEASURE Probability Criticality Total Example: Information theft 4 7 11 Employee screening, limited computer access, and computer monitoring Infant abduction 4 8 12 Matching electronic monitoring bracelets on infants and parents. Security alarms in newborn area of hospital. Have visitors sign in and out before allowing access. Assault on Hospital Employees 4 7 11 Security officers in high risk areas; ER, psych ward. Have another hospital employee enter patient rooms. We will write a custom essay sample on Appendix or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Proper training for diffusing high tension altercations. Blood borne diseases being intentionally spread 5 8 13 Make sure medical staff has proper protective clothing at all times. Properly dispose or store such materials. Limit access to hazardous materials. Pharmaceuticals being stolen 5 8 13 Employee drug screens, and have narcotics locked up so patients have no access to them. Limit access to narcotics room. Bomb threat 3 7 10 Armed security officers patrolling perimeters of hospital. Security cameras inside and outside of hospital. Execute evacuation plans. Setting 2: School THREAT RISK COUNTERMEASURE Probability Criticality Total School shooting 5 8 14 Report all suspicious behavior to school administration. Armed security guards at all entrances. Metal detectors at all entrances. Bomb threat 3 7 10 Armed security guards patrolling perimeters of school. Take as much information from bomb threat call and give to authorities. Security cameras installed. Theft 5 6 11 Keep sensitive materials and electronic devices behind a locked door. Sensors and alarms on school laptops and other electronic devices. Security guards at entrances checking bags. Drug use 4 6 10 School officials being able to administer random testing for student of interest. Security cameras installed in suspicious areas of school. Each student enters through a checkpoint at being of school day. Bus fatalities 4 7 11 Bus driver pre-screening. Random drug testing. Be sure all passengers on bus are wearing seat belts. Infant Abduction Electronic monitoring bracelets on infant and parents would cut down on infant abductions. Assault on Hospital Employees Having the visual deterrence of an armed security officer may cut down on assaults on employees. Blood Borne Diseases Being Spread Having a limited access to the designated area where such hazardous materials are stored and proper disposal methods are a great way to eliminate the threat. Pharmaceuticals Being Stolen Limited access to the designated area is a great countermeasure to determine who could be taking the drugs. Bomb Threat Employees obtaining as much information as possible and giving information to police can lead to the arrest of individual who made the threat. School Shooting Having metal detectors at entrances is a great deterrence and countermeasure. Bomb Threat Employees obtaining as much information as possible and giving information to police can lead to the arrest of individual who made the threat. Theft Much like a store (Walmart) marking electronic devices or desirable materials with sensors is an inexpensive method for cutting down the theft numbers. Drug Use School officials being able to order a drug test on a student they suspect of drug use can be looked at as deterrence against other students who may choose to use drugs. Bus Fatalities An extensive back ground screening would give the school administration the proper information so they don’t hire someone with a drug problem or bad driving history.