The Black Cat by Edgar Allen Poe is a disturbing short story that explores the deterioration of man. The psychological elements draw parallels to The Tell-Tale Heart novella. This is a colour-coded summary that explores the themes of the short story, with some examples.
Tatum Thomas Short Story Summary_ The Black Cat_ 2021
“The black cat” by edgar allan poe
1845
What can we say about this story? (What feelings does it evoke?
What ideas does it provoke?)
Protagonist=Narrator: What is his aim?
1 first-person narrator To convince us , or perhaps himself, that he is sane and
Nameless man clever.
Convince us that the events are unexplainable
Or that the events are from an external force, out of his
control, blaming external factors, plays the victim.
Fate vs Personal Responsibility
Eg. “and then came...the spirit of perverseness”
Eg. “my next step was to look for the beast which had
been the cause of so much wretchedness”
He does not take responsibility for his actions
Protagonist is trying to convince himself that he is still a
good guy or he is trying to cling to his good nature.
Appeal to his better side…
Eg. “I married early, and was happy to find in my wife a
disposition not uncongenial with my own. Observing my
partiality for domestic pets, she lost no opportunity of
procuring those of the most agreeable kind. We had
birds,gold-fish, a fine dog, rabbits, a small monkey, and a
cat.”
There are no negatives here. Is this blissful picture true
to life? NO. Humanity and the world is ambivalent. There
should be a balance of good and bad. As soon as he sees
bad exists and goodness cannot be 100% sustained, he
steers himself off the railroad of only the negative
extremities. Thus, he has not acknowledged that balance
exists in the world. Only one extreme at a time...
Irony: Deluded character trying to excuse himself for his
actions
(dramatic irony) The reader can see he is a mad and drunken murderer,
(structural irony) his actions will have consequences and he must be held
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller tatumthomas. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $2.86. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
