Ouk

Ouk, Julie
Ms. Magana
Period 4
9 June 2016

Arrogance towards Crimes

The Cask Of Amontillado is a short story written by Edgar Allen Poe. In this short story, a
man named Montresor commits a crime and becomes ignorant towards the deed to the point
where he can flaunt and brag about his crime he created. In this story, Montresor is boastful
throughout the crime he perpetrated.
First of all, the setting of the story is in Italy during Carnival. It starts off with The thousand
injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best as I could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed
revenge (174), Montresor claims a man named Fortunato has insulted him and injured him.
After Montresor lived with Fortunatos insults, Montresor could not endure Fortunatos verbal
disrespect any longer which leads Montresor to plan out his revenge. There were no attendants
at homeI knew, to ensure their immediate disappearance, one and all as soon as my back was
turned (176), Montresor makes sure his servants are no longer home and will stay away until he
comes back while he accomplishes his revenge. Montresor begins to lures Fortunato into the
catacombs a n underground cemetery consisting of a subterranean gallery with recesses for
tombs, as constructed by the ancient Romans which foreshadows what will happen to Fortunato.
A succession of loud and shrill screams (179), Montresor walled up the place he was in. Soon
enough, Fortunato later suffocates and dies due to Montresors plan.
Moreover, once the situation was finished, Montresor continues to discreetly yet arrogantly
show no desire to turn himself in because he feels no guilt. I might not only punish, but punish
with impunity. (174). Montresor only thinks a punishment is good if he gets away with it even if

Ouk
he has to deal with guilt. Throughout the story, clues were given Montresor was an insane
mastermind. Montresor had everything planned perfectly beforehand. producing a trowel from
beneath the folds of my roquelaure (177). In the middle Montresor luring Fortunato, Montresor
pulls out a sharp weapon from his robe to kill Fortunato but he stops himself and sticks to his
plan to insure he does not get caught which shows how much of a mastermind he is. This also
shows Montresor is insane, because he was planning to murder a person because of injuries and
insults.
Furthermore, when the story was being said, it was all in the perspective of Montresor.
However Montresor is an extremely unreliable source throughout the story. Montresor talks
about his revenge but when discussed about what Fortunato did to him he spoke about the same
reasons like the thousands of injuries and how he ventured upon insult (174). This is the only
information that is given and there is a chance this could be a lie. Hes also extremely unreliable
due to the fact that his perspective or opinion about Fortunato changed. In pace requiescat
(179). In the end he tells Fortunato to rest in peace even after everything he has been through.
This shows how Montresor is an unreliable source.
All in all, The Cask of Amontillado was a short story by Edgar Allen Poe. The story contains
a mastermind that is filled with madness while also an unreliable source and narrator. Due to
many actions such as Montresor explaining his opinion more than the truth, Montresor was
bragging about the crime, Montresor becomes a man who would gloat, proving Montresor was
an unreliable source and narrator.