Johanna Navas
Professor
English 102-014
24 February 2016
The Devil’s True Face
Niccolò Machiavelli an Italian Renaissance philosopher, humanist, and writer once said: “Everyone sees what you appear to be, few experience what you really are.” Indeed, appearances aren’t always what they seem, and people should be so quick to trust or mistrust someone base on them. Because a person’s real identity can be completely different from their appearance. In Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne and The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe, both authors make biblical connections to the devil thru their characters Montresor and the traveler. Whom share similarities and are deceivers, embodiments of the devil who masquerade themselves as trustworthy …show more content…
I continued, as was my wont, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation” (Poe 14). Differently from the traveler who deceives Young Goodman Brown by telling him that he is well acquainted with his father and grandfather, Montresor deceives Fortunato by continuing to “smile in his face” as well as by using Fortunato’s weakness against him. As Montresor states line, “He had a weak point—this Fortunato—although in other regards he was a man to be respected and even feared. He prided himself on his connoisseurship in wine.” (Poe 14). Montresor uses Fortunato’s weakness for wine more specifically Amontillado in order to lure him in as well as to help him to deceive Fortunato so that he would lower his guard and allow Montresor to lead him to his doom. After the devil lies for his own benefit just like the traveler lie to Young Goodman Brown in order to lower make him trust him as well as for Young Goodman brown to lower his guard like Montresor did to Fortunato by not only continuing to “smile in his face” but by also using Fortunato’s weakens for Amontillado against …show more content…
Whom share similarities and are deceivers, embodiments of the devil who masquerade themselves as trustworthy people, and they have a link to serpents. And just like Niccolò Machiavelli said appearances aren’t always what they seem, and people should be so quick to trust or mistrust someone base on them. Because a person’s real identity can be completely different from their appearance. Therefore, what Hawthorne and Poe are telling the reader is for them to be careful of not being deceived by a devil just like Young Goodman Brown and Fortunato were, and if they are deceived by a devil in disguise then be better be prepare to not only abandon their faith but to face their ultimate doom because the devil’s true face is one of horror and at times
Professor
English 102-014
24 February 2016
The Devil’s True Face
Niccolò Machiavelli an Italian Renaissance philosopher, humanist, and writer once said: “Everyone sees what you appear to be, few experience what you really are.” Indeed, appearances aren’t always what they seem, and people should be so quick to trust or mistrust someone base on them. Because a person’s real identity can be completely different from their appearance. In Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne and The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe, both authors make biblical connections to the devil thru their characters Montresor and the traveler. Whom share similarities and are deceivers, embodiments of the devil who masquerade themselves as trustworthy …show more content…
I continued, as was my wont, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation” (Poe 14). Differently from the traveler who deceives Young Goodman Brown by telling him that he is well acquainted with his father and grandfather, Montresor deceives Fortunato by continuing to “smile in his face” as well as by using Fortunato’s weakness against him. As Montresor states line, “He had a weak point—this Fortunato—although in other regards he was a man to be respected and even feared. He prided himself on his connoisseurship in wine.” (Poe 14). Montresor uses Fortunato’s weakness for wine more specifically Amontillado in order to lure him in as well as to help him to deceive Fortunato so that he would lower his guard and allow Montresor to lead him to his doom. After the devil lies for his own benefit just like the traveler lie to Young Goodman Brown in order to lower make him trust him as well as for Young Goodman brown to lower his guard like Montresor did to Fortunato by not only continuing to “smile in his face” but by also using Fortunato’s weakens for Amontillado against …show more content…
Whom share similarities and are deceivers, embodiments of the devil who masquerade themselves as trustworthy people, and they have a link to serpents. And just like Niccolò Machiavelli said appearances aren’t always what they seem, and people should be so quick to trust or mistrust someone base on them. Because a person’s real identity can be completely different from their appearance. Therefore, what Hawthorne and Poe are telling the reader is for them to be careful of not being deceived by a devil just like Young Goodman Brown and Fortunato were, and if they are deceived by a devil in disguise then be better be prepare to not only abandon their faith but to face their ultimate doom because the devil’s true face is one of horror and at times