Comparing The Cask of Amontillado and The Interlopers Essays

Comparing The Cask of Amontillado and The Interlopers Literary devices are tools used by the author to help the reader understand a given literary work. Writers use different literary devices depending on their style and what they wish their reader to get out of their work. One important literary device that is essential for a successful literary work is theme. Theme is the general insight into life that the author shares with the reader. There are a number of different methods from which an author can choose to present his/her theme. One common strategy is to communicate the theme through the use of mood; the overall feeling or emotion conjured within the reader. In Edgar Allan Poes short story, The Cask of†¦show more content†¦This mood presents the theme that uncontrollable anger leads to violence. In a similar way, a mode of deepening anger towards Fortunato is created as Montresor continues to lead the drunken Fortunato deeper down into the earth. Montresor says, I passed down a long and winding staircase...and arrived at a deep crypt, in which the foulness of the air caused our flambeaux rather to glow than to flame (6). This mood of deepening, suffocating anger communicates the general theme that overwhelming anger leads to violence. Finally, when Montresor says to Fortunato, I must positively leave you (8), he shows his cruel intention to leave Fortunato forever. This shows a mood of evilness and rage. Furthermore, a mood of terror and violence is demonstrated when he states, A succession of loud and shrill screams, bursting suddenly from the throat of a chained form seemed to thrust me violently back (9). These quotes demonstrate that his deepening and uncontrollable anger did lead to the violent act of killing Fortunato. Therefore, the mood of impending evil, terror, and violence communicates the theme that uncontrollable anger can lead to violence. Similarly, in Sakis short story, The Interlopers, the mood helps to illustrate the overall theme of the literary piece. One example is that the author establishes the mood of vengeance and hostility as the author states, Ulrich von Grandwitz patrolled the dark forest