Symbolism
This item of clothing shows that Fortunato doesn’t realize the danger he’s in.
What is his jester costume?
This point of view lets readers hear only Montresor’s version of the story.
What is first-person narration?
The Cask of Amontillado is part of this dark, creepy branch of Romanticism.
What is Dark Romanticism (or Gothic literature)?
Montresor’s crest—showing a foot crushing a snake—is this type of comparison.
What is a metaphor?
Montresor believes that forgiving someone who insults you shows this.
What is weakness?
Montresor’s motto (“No one attacks me without punishment”) shows this is his main goal.
What is revenge?
Montresor is considered this kind of narrator because we can’t be sure he’s telling the truth.
What is an unreliable narrator?
Montresor’s intense feelings and secrets show this focus of Dark Romantic writing.
What is exploring the darker side of human nature?
The coat of arms acts as this device that stands for an idea.
What is a symbol?
Poe’s dark setting makes revenge seem especially this.
What is frightening or disturbing?
The foot crushing the snake on Montresor’s coat of arms hints that this will happen to Fortunato.
What is Montresor defeating or punishing Fortunato?
Poe creates suspense by waiting until the end to show Fortunato understanding the truth.
What is Fortunato realizing Montresor’s plan?
Poe’s dark setting and focus on death match this 1800s interest.
What is the fascination with death and the afterlife?
The dark, wet catacombs help create this emotional feeling.
What is mood?
Modern readers focus on this flaw in Montresor rather than siding with him.
What is his cruelty or lack of empathy?
This underground setting stands for the darkness of Montresor’s plan.
What are the catacombs?
Because readers know what Montresor plans but Fortunato doesn’t, we feel this emotion.
What is nervousness or dread?
The happy carnival above and the quiet catacombs below show how scary things can hide under everyday life.
What is evil hiding beneath normal society?
In Montresor’s crest, Fortunato is compared to this animal.
What is a snake?
The deeper the characters go into the catacombs, the more this main idea becomes clear.
What is revenge?
The motto, the coat of arms, and the costume all point to this idea: people can be led by strong emotions like pride and anger.
What is that strong emotions (like pride) can lead to harmful choices?
Poe increases suspense by mixing these two techniques.
What is combining first‑person narration with an unreliable narrator?
Poe’s story shows that danger comes from people themselves, not ghosts or monsters.
What is the idea that humans can be more dangerous than the supernatural?
When a sentence is rewritten so the subject does the action, it’s changed into this voice.
What is active voice?
Even after fifty years, Montresor is still talking about the event, showing he may feel this.
What is guilt or uneasiness?