Murder in the Novels, The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar...

What makes a story interesting to you? Is it mystery, intrigue, irony, horror, humor, or even murder? If you answered murder stories then you are in luck. The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poes and William Faulkners A Rose for Emily are compelling murder stories, full of dynamic characters, vivid detail, and compelling points of view. These two stories encompass the elements of plot, character, setting and point of view among others. Although the elements of the central theme of murder are different, these stories share other elements that make these stories unique. In the short story â€Å"The cask of Amontillado† by Edgar Allan Poe, the basic plot structure is classified as flashback. In the text, this strategy of plot structure is defined by â€Å"informing the reader of events that happened before the opening scene of a work.† This is identified in â€Å"The cask of Amontillado† during the opening when Poe illustrates the anger and malice Montresor has for Fortunato. The overall effect this story has on the reader is one of suspense. Brick by Brick the story is developed making you wonder if Fortunato was considering the possibility that this was some sort of joke. Poe’s use of flashback is effective due to the questions the reader is forced to consider while the story is read. As the story concludes, we learn that this event took place a â€Å"half century† prior. The fact that Montresor is recounting this event 50 years later reiterates how Montresor is feeling, and howShow MoreRelatedComparison and Contrast: A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner and The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe929 Words   |  4 Pagesfull-length novels, just as the authors individual style plays an inevitable role in shaping the work. That said, there is a common element uniting short stories; they usually create impact due to the brevity itself, which authors typically rely on to make a more direct impression. Condensed, the form offers more o vert power, and this is evident in how William Faulkner and Edgar Allan Poe employ it to achieve distinctly Gothic effects. â€Å"A Rose for Emily† and â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† are very different