Montresor Inhumane Analysis

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It is not difficult to tell that Montresor is insane. "The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne (p. 212)" is most likely an extreme exaggeration. These 'thousand injuries' were probably a figment of Montresor's imagination. Thus, Montresor actually had no viable motive for Fortunato's murder. Plus, the murder itself was inhumane. Montresor "fettered him to the granite (p. 216)," or chained his victim in a niche in the catacombs. After chaining his victim, Montresor "began vigorously to wall up the entrance to the niche (p. 216)." Once the killer had finished entombing his victim, he "thrust a torch through the remaining aperture and let it fall withing (p. 217)." In other words, Montresor threw in his torch to deprive Fortunato of oxygen. This lengthy and well-thought out killing helps prove the psychopath within Montresor. …show more content…
However, the murder itself is not the only evidence of Montresor's psychopathic tendencies. He took enough time to establish his perfect plan and maintained a respectable reputation while doing so, as psychopaths tend to do; Montresor did not hint at Fortunato's immolation "by word nor deed (p. 212)." Montresor knew enough about Fortunato from their 'frienship' (Montresor probably never actually formed a serious friendship with Fortunato because of his mental state) that he could use Fortunato's characteristics to his advantage. For example, he knew that Fortunato "had a weak point...he prided himself on connoisseurship in wine (p. 212)." Hence, Montresor tricked a drunken and prideful Fortunato into thinking he obtained an expensive and wonderful wine so that he would accompany him to the inside of Montresor's catacombs. In addition,

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