THE NARRATOR
The narrator has major issues. This
unnamed character is an abusive bully and a murderer. He made home a living
hell for his wife, pets, and himself. He's writing to us from his prison cell,
on the eve of his scheduled death by hanging. In addition to the details of his
heinous crimes, he reveals his psychological transformation from nice-guy to
villain. He tells us that around the time he murdered his wife, all
"good" had been driven from his personality .
And he doesn't seem to be confessing out of a sense of guilt. Over the course of the story, the narrator provides several reasons for his various behaviors. But mostly he seems to be blaming the cat (or cats) for all his problems. According the narrator, it's the cat's fault that the domestic scene of the story ultimately turned so foul. This seems to be his real point in telling us the story.
And he doesn't seem to be confessing out of a sense of guilt. Over the course of the story, the narrator provides several reasons for his various behaviors. But mostly he seems to be blaming the cat (or cats) for all his problems. According the narrator, it's the cat's fault that the domestic scene of the story ultimately turned so foul. This seems to be his real point in telling us the story.
THE NARRATOR'S WIFE
The brief outline the narrator
provides us of his wife suggests that she is kind, giving, loyal, and even
heroic at the end. The narrator says she has "in a high degree, that
humanity of feeling which had once been [his] distinguishing characteristic."
She is a highly sympathetic character, in her own right. The fact that the
narrator abuses her, and her beloved pets, makes her even more sympathetic, and
makes us think that the man is a complete bad character.
PLUTO
Pluto is fine specimen of a cat.
All black, large, fuzzy, and "and sagacious to an astonishing degree".
(Sagacious is a cool word to know. It means extremely wise, intelligent, and
perceptive.) Over the years Pluto moves from a pampered pet to an abused beast.
He is blinded and ultimately murdered by his owner. The narrator might have us
believe that he is actually a witch in disguise (see the "Character
Analysis" for the narrator's wife more), transforming from witch to Pluto,
to the second black cat. To be fair, we gave the second cat his own
"Character Analysis," so be sure to check that out. For now, we are
focusing on the cat the narrator calls Pluto.
Or Pluto is a cat, and only a cat or he is a symbol or allegory for other things or he's both. Poe had pets of his own, and is suspected to have been an animal lover. At a most basic level, the story seems designed to invite sympathy for animals, and raise awareness of animal abuse. Since you probably don't need a lecture on being nice to cats, we'll focus on a few allegorical and symbolic possibilities.
Or Pluto is a cat, and only a cat or he is a symbol or allegory for other things or he's both. Poe had pets of his own, and is suspected to have been an animal lover. At a most basic level, the story seems designed to invite sympathy for animals, and raise awareness of animal abuse. Since you probably don't need a lecture on being nice to cats, we'll focus on a few allegorical and symbolic possibilities.
THE SECOND CAT
The second black cat looks almost
exactly like Pluto. He's big, black, and missing an eye. The only difference is
the white spot. The spot starts off innocently enough, but then grows into an image of
the gallows, if the narrator can be believed.
With all these similarities, and with the narrator's insistence that the cat is more than just a cat, we might think the second black cat is some kind of supernatural version of Pluto.
With all these similarities, and with the narrator's insistence that the cat is more than just a cat, we might think the second black cat is some kind of supernatural version of Pluto.
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий