“In his best fiction Poe achieves acute insights into the mysteries, processes, and terrors of the human personality without draining our shared inner life of its basic mystery” (Shulman 1). Many works of Edgar Allan Poe explore the phenomena of the human mind. Despite the study psychology having not been introduced yet, Poe’s stories “The Black Cat”, “The Cask of Amontillado”, and “Berenice” examine various happenings of the human mind.
In “The Black Cat”, Poe explores very distinctive features of the human mind: irrationality, guilt, and perverseness. Early in the story, the unnamed narrator accuses his wife of being superstitions, stating that she “made frequent allusion to the ancient popular notion, which regarded all black cats as witches in disguise” (Poe 1). Although at this point in the story it is assumed that the narrator himself lacks the superstitious beliefs that his wife seems to possess, the progression of the story reveals quite the opposite. “We become …show more content…
Throughout the story, Poe illustrates how one goes about using reverse psychology. When Montresor asks Fortunado to taste Amontillado he says “I will not impose upon you good nature. I perceive you have an engagement..” (Poe 744). Here, Montresor is convincing Fortunato to taste the Amontillado while telling him not to. Similarly, when Fortunato coughs because of the nitre walls, Montresor once again uses reverse psychology when he says “ Come,.. we will go back; your health is precious... We will go back; you will be ill and I cannot be responsible. Besides, there is Luchresi-” (Poe 745). Montresor is fully aware that Fortunato is anxious to taste the wine, considering that “ He prided himself upon his connoisseurship in wine” (Poe 745). By trying to deter Fortunato from participating in this event, and by declaring Luchresi as his replacement, Montresor is using reverse psychology to convince Fortunato to
In “The Black Cat”, Poe explores very distinctive features of the human mind: irrationality, guilt, and perverseness. Early in the story, the unnamed narrator accuses his wife of being superstitions, stating that she “made frequent allusion to the ancient popular notion, which regarded all black cats as witches in disguise” (Poe 1). Although at this point in the story it is assumed that the narrator himself lacks the superstitious beliefs that his wife seems to possess, the progression of the story reveals quite the opposite. “We become …show more content…
Throughout the story, Poe illustrates how one goes about using reverse psychology. When Montresor asks Fortunado to taste Amontillado he says “I will not impose upon you good nature. I perceive you have an engagement..” (Poe 744). Here, Montresor is convincing Fortunato to taste the Amontillado while telling him not to. Similarly, when Fortunato coughs because of the nitre walls, Montresor once again uses reverse psychology when he says “ Come,.. we will go back; your health is precious... We will go back; you will be ill and I cannot be responsible. Besides, there is Luchresi-” (Poe 745). Montresor is fully aware that Fortunato is anxious to taste the wine, considering that “ He prided himself upon his connoisseurship in wine” (Poe 745). By trying to deter Fortunato from participating in this event, and by declaring Luchresi as his replacement, Montresor is using reverse psychology to convince Fortunato to