The Black Cat Psychological Analysis

The human mind is difficult to understand as every human possesses his/her own individual thought rituals at different levels of complexities. From a psychological approach the point(s) to get across are to reveal the revelation of its author’s mind and personality. In other words, how the literature is linked with the author’s mental and emotional characteristics. Today, psychology has been introduced in most everything. Before the field of Psychology was introduced an American author, Edgar Allan Poe, was deeply aware of the complexities of the human mind and its effects on behavior. His comprehension of the human brain is embedded in short stories such as, “The Black Cat” and “The Cask of Amontillado.” Edgar Allan Poe presents protagonists
Due to the revenge that arises from jealousy and pride, the Montresor, the protagonist, is so deeply involved in his thoughts of revenge from Fortunato, he does not even state why he seeks out revenge and the motive behind it. Pride, jealousy and the concept of killing someone go back to the time when people first came around. In the article, by Renee, she states when thoughts of revenge are developed in a person’s mind, it causes him to go insane and there is no time for second thoughts (1). The very first sentence from the story is “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge,” this clearly depicts the major theme of the story, enrooted in Montresor’s mind (DiYanni
Numerous times, Poe, shows how a person can gain knowledge or something from someone without intending to. For an example of reverse psychology being used is when in “The Cask of Amontillado,” Montresor asks Fortunato to taste Amontillado but says, “…I will not impose upon you good nature. I perceive you have an engagement…” (DiYanni 145). Similarly, Montresor uses reverse psychology, when Fortunato coughs due to the niter walls, and 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 -” (DiYanni 145). As Poe states, “He prided himself upon his connoisseurship in wine,” (DiYanni 145) because Montresor is aware that Fortunato knows he is the best when it comes to alcohol. However, he still uses another name to urge him to keep on going. In conclusion, Poe is well aware of this psychological characteristic of the human