The main character in The Black Cat has preserved behaviors and mental deterioration that contributes to his downfall throughout the story. The main character’s actions in this story are a true reflection of how alcoholism can affect someone’s behavior. For example, after coming home drunk the main character becomes irritated at his cat Pluto “who he dearly loves.” Pluto is ignoring him and bites him on the hand and this highly intoxicated man becomes very violent, “I took from my waist a pocket-pen, opened it, grasped the poor beast by the throat, and deliberately cut one of its eyes from his socket!” (Poe 497). This proves that the character is unstable and has a mental problem because just by the cat not showing him affection and because
