“The
Black Cat” by Edger Alan Poe
Edger
Allan Poe was a famous American writer, editor, and critic who was known for his
short stories and poetry. He also worked as a journalist perhaps this is the
reason we can find seriousness in his work. He can be credited with having
invented the detective short story and as such can be considered the father of
this genre of literature. Usually, his story highlights the elements of fear,
horror and gothic. His story highlights deeper layers of the human psyche in
comparison to the human mind and motives. His stories are simply unrivaled in
their story. This story also reveals the deeper psychological narrator.
The story reveals by an unnamed narrator who is about the covey. Through the narrator, we
came to know about the story’s character who is well known and celebrated. He
confesses a great love for cats and dogs, both of which he says, respect the
fidelity of friendship, unlike fellow men. The narrator is fond of animals and
birds.
“We
had birds, goldfish, a fine dog, rabbits, a small monkey, and a black cat”
He
loved the black cat and named it as ‘Pluto’ whereas his wife totally didn’t
like it, She was disguised by it. In short, she used to see at Pluto as
something omen kind of things and believed that cat was responsible behind
whatever was happening in the house.
“I
grew day by day, moodier,
more
irritable, more regardless of the feeling of the others…
...the
fury of a demon, instantly possessed me”
In
the following year, the narrator started to be moodier who usually came at home
with doing the drinking and abused his wife also. Though he always used showing
some kindness towards Plato, one day he lashed out at Plato as felt that he was
avoided by Cat. He tried to catch the cat and in return, he was bitten by the
cat. Because of this act narrator got angry and pulled out his knife and
without being kind he cut out one eye of a cat. Though the cat recovered after this
incident, his master was avoided by it and ultimately this act again provoked
the narrator. He described this act as a primitive impulse of perverseness.
One morning, he hanged Pluto from a limb of a tree, the innocent act was heavily
tortured by his master.
“One
morning, in cool blood, I slipped a noose about its neck,
And
hung it to the limb of a tree...”
After
that narrator’s house caught fire and however, the narrator along with his wife and
servant managed to escape. Now the turning point in the story came, on the
following day of the fire, some of the neighbors heard a shout behind the hall and
tried to find out the truth of it. The narrator was amazed after seeing the
impression of a gigantic cat with a rope around its neck on the surface of the
wall. Later on, the narrator tried to explain rationally the existence of the
impression but he found himself haunted by the phantasm over the course of many
months. At the end of the story, the drunken narrator discovered a black object
poised upon a large barrel of alcohol. That new black cat has appeared
resembling Pluto but with a splash o white on his fur. From this narrator
experienced a great fondness for his mysterious cat which has not been seen by
anyone before.
“The
White fur reveals the mode of execution that claimed Pluto and the narrator
pledges revenge”
This
resemblance brought anger towards the cat in the narrator's mind and he tried to attack
it with an axe but his wife tried to defend them and ultimately in anger she was
killed by the narrator. And hide the body behind the dump wall which was discovered
by police. As police tapped on the wall, a long cry came out in response to
tapping. After storming the wall they find a hidden corpse and upon her head, the
missing cat was sitting.
Thus
the Edger Alan Poe created very mysterious and gothic elements in his story
with his unique narrative technique that lends a great deal of authenticity to
the unusual events in the story.
