Think Deeper (Critical Thinking)
Which word best shows Montresor’s belief he could kill Fortunato without consequences?
Impunity
Montresor chained Fortunato to the wall after doing this aggressively.
Hint: It is a vocabulary word
Accosting Him
Someone shoved you rudely in the hall—you were ________.
Accosted
A fine, rare wine that tempted Fortunato.
Amontillado
Synonym: Confront, challenge aggressively
Accost
Montresor’s act of revenge can also be called this vocabulary word.
Retribution
Montresor claims he deserves retribution. What does this word reveal about his mindset toward honor and insult?
He views insult as a crime equal to death, showing his pride and obsession with revenge.
Prisoner shackled by the ankles is bound by ________.
fetters
A barrel often used for storing wine.
Cask
Antonym:Lightweight container, portable box
Cask
Why is the word “repose” ironic when applied to Fortunato at the end of the story?
Because it suggests peaceful rest, but his death was violent and cruel.
Explain how fetters symbolize Fortunato’s helplessness beyond just being chained.
They symbolize his complete loss of freedom and control.
Instead of a peaceful repose, Fortunato finds himself trapped forever in the darkness of the ________.
Catacombs
Underground burial chambers filled with tunnels.
Catacombs
Antonym: Liberated , Emancipation
Fetter
Why is Montresor’s “niche” for Fortunato both literal and symbolic?
Literal: the wall space; symbolic: Fortunato’s final place in life.
A niche is a small recess in a wall. How is Fortunato’s niche both a literal space and a symbolic “final role” in Montresor’s plan?
iteral: his prison in the wall; Symbolic: his permanent place in death and Montresor’s revenge.)
Montresor believes he has chosen the perfect spot to punish Fortunato—his literal hiding place and symbolic role as victim.
Niche
A state of peace, rest, or sleep.
Repose
Antonym: Liability, accountability
Impunity
How does Montresor’s use of a “trowel” serve as dark irony?
He jokes about being a mason, but uses the tool to trap Fortunato in death.
Why is Montresor’s use of the trowel the most chilling detail of the story’s climax?
Because it shows his murder was carefully premeditated—he carried the tool with him, ready to build Fortunato’s tomb.
Montresor boasts that he can commit murder without facing consequences. Which word best captures this dangerous belief, and how does it connect to his family crest?
Impunity - His crest is a foot crushing a serpent but the serpent sinks his fangs into the foot. "No one provokes me with impunity"
Freedom from punishment.
Impunity
Antonym: Agitation, unrest, activity
Repose