SHORT STORY SUMMARYSHORT STORY SUMMARY

TITLE: “TITLE: “The Cask of The Cask of AmontilladoAmontillado””

AUTHOR: AUTHOR: Edgar Allan PoeEdgar Allan Poe SETTING (Time and Place): SETTING (Time and Place):

Italy, late 1700’s-early 1800’s Italy, late 1700’s-early 1800’s during Carnivalduring Carnival

CHARACTERS (List and CHARACTERS (List and describe on separate lines):describe on separate lines): Fortunato – Fortunato – drunk, wealthy, drunk, wealthy,

respected, feared, has a bad cold, respected, feared, has a bad cold, wine expert, prideful, stubborn, wine expert, prideful, stubborn, insulted Montresorinsulted Montresor

MontresorMontresor – deceptive, wants – deceptive, wants revenge against Fortunato, wealthy, revenge against Fortunato, wealthy, cunning, devious, his family’s coat of cunning, devious, his family’s coat of arms is a foot crushing a snakearms is a foot crushing a snake

SUMMARY:SUMMARY: Montresor has been insulted by Montresor has been insulted by

Fortunato and vows to get Fortunato and vows to get revenge without suffering from revenge without suffering from harm or punishment. He finds harm or punishment. He finds Fortunato at Carnival, who has Fortunato at Carnival, who has been drinking, and entices him to been drinking, and entices him to follow him home and verify the follow him home and verify the contents of a cask of rare wine. contents of a cask of rare wine.

Summary continuedSummary continued

He shackles him to a wall in the He shackles him to a wall in the family catacombs and builds a family catacombs and builds a wall around him leaving him to wall around him leaving him to die.die.

POINT OF VIEW:POINT OF VIEW:

This short story is told from the This short story is told from the first person pointfirst person point of view. of view. Montresor tells the story 50 Montresor tells the story 50 years later.years later.

ConflictConflict Internal – Internal – Montresor vs. Montresor vs.

himselfhimself - He can’t forgive the - He can’t forgive the insult insult

External – External – Montresor vs. Montresor vs. Fortunato - Fortunato - Montresor wants Montresor wants revenge and leaves Fortunato to revenge and leaves Fortunato to die in the catacombs of his house die in the catacombs of his house

SYMBOLSSYMBOLS BellsBells

–happiness/Carnival/foolishness–happiness/Carnival/foolishness End of bells ringingEnd of bells ringing – death, – death,

Death tollDeath toll Montresor crest and mottoMontresor crest and motto – –

killing the enemy that attacks killing the enemy that attacks the familythe family

Symbols continued…Symbols continued…

AmontilladoAmontillado – trickery, – trickery, deception, lure, pride, weaknessdeception, lure, pride, weakness

Trowel Trowel – helps in the – helps in the construction of Fortuanto’s tombconstruction of Fortuanto’s tomb

THEMETHEME

1. Revenge is sweet.1. Revenge is sweet. 2. Be careful of what you say 2. Be careful of what you say

and who you offend.and who you offend. 3. What goes around comes 3. What goes around comes

around (Karma).around (Karma).

Other Literary Elements Other Literary Elements

FlashbackFlashback – The narrator is – The narrator is telling the story after 50 years telling the story after 50 years has passed. has passed.

ForeshadowingForeshadowing – Family crest – Family crest and motto, “I shall not die of a and motto, “I shall not die of a cough”, toast to a long life.cough”, toast to a long life.

Other Literary Elements Other Literary Elements cont’dcont’d MoodMood –dark, dreary, damp, –dark, dreary, damp,

death death Verbal Irony –Verbal Irony – “ “luckily met’, luckily met’,

“man to be missed” “rest in “man to be missed” “rest in peace,” “toast to a long life”peace,” “toast to a long life”

IronyIrony – the name Fortunato – the name Fortunato (fortunate)(fortunate)

PLOT DEVELOPMENT PLOT DEVELOPMENT CHARTCHART

EXPOSITION: EXPOSITION: Meet Narrator, Meet Narrator, Montresor, learn he has Montresor, learn he has something against Fortunato and something against Fortunato and vows revengevows revenge

NARRATIVE HOOK: NARRATIVE HOOK: Fortunato Fortunato agrees to follow Montresor to the agrees to follow Montresor to the vault.vault.

Plot Development Chart…Plot Development Chart… RISING ACTION: RISING ACTION: Montresor lures Montresor lures

Fortunato deeper into the Fortunato deeper into the catacombs, taunting him and teasing catacombs, taunting him and teasing him the entire time without him the entire time without Fortunato being aware.Fortunato being aware.

CLIMAX: CLIMAX: Montresor chains Montresor chains Fortunato to the wall and begins to Fortunato to the wall and begins to build up a wall around him.build up a wall around him.

Plot Development Chart…Plot Development Chart… FALLING ACTION: FALLING ACTION: Montresor Montresor

gets a cold chill after hearing gets a cold chill after hearing bells. Fortunato does not reply.bells. Fortunato does not reply.

RESOLUTION: RESOLUTION: 50 years later, 50 years later, Fortunato’s bones are Fortunato’s bones are untouched. Montresor is still untouched. Montresor is still around to tell the story.around to tell the story.

QUOTATION QUOTATION INTERPRETATION:INTERPRETATION:

QuoteQuote – – ““A man that studieth revenge A man that studieth revenge

keeps his own wounds green.”keeps his own wounds green.”

Quote Interpretation …Quote Interpretation … In your own words, explain In your own words, explain

what this quote means to you what this quote means to you – – A person that spends all of his A person that spends all of his time thinking about and trying to time thinking about and trying to get revenge will keep the hurt get revenge will keep the hurt fresh in his mind. “Green” fresh in his mind. “Green” meaning new, fresh young.meaning new, fresh young.

Quote Interpretation …Quote Interpretation …

How does this quote relate to How does this quote relate to the story you just read? the story you just read? Montresor was able to get Montresor was able to get revenge without being caught or revenge without being caught or punished, but was he ever able punished, but was he ever able to forget or forgive what to forget or forgive what Fortunato did?Fortunato did?

Quote Interpretation …Quote Interpretation … State one literary element–State one literary element–

FlashbackFlashback- - The narrator tells The narrator tells the story in the form of a the story in the form of a flashback. The retelling of the flashback. The retelling of the story 50 years later may suggest story 50 years later may suggest he regrets some of his actions he regrets some of his actions and decisions, or it might and decisions, or it might suggest he is still proud of the suggest he is still proud of the fact that he got away with it. fact that he got away with it.