27 pages 54 minutes read

Edgar Allan Poe

The Black Cat

Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1843

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Essay Topics

1.

Construct an argument about the narrator’s mental state throughout the story. How does he rationalize his actions? What role does alcohol addiction play?

2.

Discuss the narrator’s murder of his wife and his motivation beyond the immediate catalyst. Why does he react so violently? What else has his wife done in this tale?

3.

What is the narrator’s attitude toward humanity, and how does it determine his actions in this tale?