How does Poe motivate the behavior of Montresor? Does the story provide any hints as to the "thousand injuries" he has suffered? Are any hints necessary?
In the story of The Cask of Amontillado, Montresor did not specify any type of insult from Fortunato, and he failed to mention any hint concerning the thousand injuries. In the short story, Poe wanted to make the story as short as possible, and providing the hints concerning the injuries will add unnecessary words to the story making it long. Failing to describe a thousand injuries was a deliberate choice by Poe to make the story as short as possible following short story standards.
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Why is the setting of the story appropriate?
The setting of the story is appropriate because it enables the readers to understand what the author is trying to express. Edgar Allan Poe manages to use the environment in the story to set a stage for the events that are likely to come in the process, making the story exciting and easy to understand (DiSanza, 2014). The author makes use of symbols in the setting, thus bringing up a specific tone that provides the meaning and reason in connection with the time and the events in the story. Poe manages to use multiple settings throughout the story, and this is important because each setting conveys a distinct meaning, for instance, the use of Italian city to represent freedom. The Italian city represents freedom because that was the most important thing for the Italians during that particular time.
What does Montresor's treatment of his house servants tell us about his knowledge of human psychology, and how does it prepare us for his treatment of Fortunato?
The treatment that Montresor gives to his house servants shows that he is a keen observer of human tendencies. Montresor knew that by allowing the servants to take the night off would raise suspicion since carnival time was the period when the level of crime was high. Using this method, Montresor will ensure that they will be gone without suspicion from anyone. The actions of Montresor also show cruel treatment to Fortunado by planning a murder and submitting him to excruciating torture.
How does Poe increase the elements of suspense as Fortunato is gradually walled into the catacombs?
More suspense occurs inside the wine cellar because of the ghastly surroundings inside that building. Fortunato becomes more intoxicated and in the process becomes defenseless, and this is suspense (Indrusiak, 2018). The slow process of walling Fortunato is suspense to the reader because when a person has conscious and soul, he or she hopes he had a case of conscience causing an interruption in the process of walling.
References
DiSanza, R. (2014). On Memory, Forgetting, and Complicity in “The Cask of Amontillado”. The Edgar Allan Poe Review, 15(2), 194-204.
Indrusiak, E. (2018). Narrative Suspense in Edgar allan Poe and alfred hitchcock. English Literature Theories, Interpretafions, Contexts, 5, 39-58.
