An Easy Target: Cask of Amontillado
Tolulope Lawal 09/13/12 Period 6 An Easy Target
“Nobody attacks me without punishment.” In Edgar Allen Poe’s chilling story, “The Cask of Amontillado,” this was Montresor, the protagonist’s, family motto. After being rudely insulted by a wine connoisseur, by the name of Fortunato, this motto came into play. On the night of an event called Carnival Night, in Italy, Fortunato, the antagonist, became a target of revenge. He was led into believing that something sweet awaited him. Little did he know that he was walking right into his doom. Fortunato makes himself an easy target because he was persistent, gullible, and foolish.
In most cases, persistency would be a good thing but in this case, it worked against Fortunato. In the story, to lure him into his house, Montressor uses a fine wine, by the name of amontillado, as bait. Being a wine connoisseur, he favored wine. It seemed like he would do anything to get his hands on the amontillado. He even had a chance of escaping when Montressor had said, “Come…. We will go back.”He was already ill and drunk and didn’t take his health condition into consideration. He kept trying to get the wine. His need of the amontillado killed him. Persistency wasn’t the only trait that caused Fortunato death.
The antagonist was also a very gullible fellow. He was constantly lied to and didn’t even have the slightest clue. When Montressor had told him about wanting Luchresi to try the wine was when his gullibility showed the most. Our protagonist’s goal at that moment was accomplished, by making Fortunato jealous. Did he honestly think that Montressor would let anyone taste the amontillado? If I were in Fortunato situation, I would have thought twice about why Montressor would even mention having Luchresi try the wine. He also believed that Montressor was his true friend. He didn’t even stop and
“Nobody attacks me without punishment.” In Edgar Allen Poe’s chilling story, “The Cask of Amontillado,” this was Montresor, the protagonist’s, family motto. After being rudely insulted by a wine connoisseur, by the name of Fortunato, this motto came into play. On the night of an event called Carnival Night, in Italy, Fortunato, the antagonist, became a target of revenge. He was led into believing that something sweet awaited him. Little did he know that he was walking right into his doom. Fortunato makes himself an easy target because he was persistent, gullible, and foolish.
In most cases, persistency would be a good thing but in this case, it worked against Fortunato. In the story, to lure him into his house, Montressor uses a fine wine, by the name of amontillado, as bait. Being a wine connoisseur, he favored wine. It seemed like he would do anything to get his hands on the amontillado. He even had a chance of escaping when Montressor had said, “Come…. We will go back.”He was already ill and drunk and didn’t take his health condition into consideration. He kept trying to get the wine. His need of the amontillado killed him. Persistency wasn’t the only trait that caused Fortunato death.
The antagonist was also a very gullible fellow. He was constantly lied to and didn’t even have the slightest clue. When Montressor had told him about wanting Luchresi to try the wine was when his gullibility showed the most. Our protagonist’s goal at that moment was accomplished, by making Fortunato jealous. Did he honestly think that Montressor would let anyone taste the amontillado? If I were in Fortunato situation, I would have thought twice about why Montressor would even mention having Luchresi try the wine. He also believed that Montressor was his true friend. He didn’t even stop and