“The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe
Questions
Remember
1. What point of view is the story told from?
2. Who is the antagonist of the narrator (Montresor)?
3. Find three hints that Montresor gives to Fortunato of what he intends to do. How
does Fortunato interpret each hint?
Understand
4. The nature of the insult Fortunato offered Montresor is never clear. Do you think
it really happened or occurred only in Montresor’s mind? Explain your answer.
How does not knowing make the horror even greater?
5. Explain how the Montresors’ family motto and coat of arms are appropriate.
Apply
6. Suppose you were a police detective in Italy when this story took place and you
suspected that Montresor had killed Fortunato. How might you get proof of the
crime?
Analyze
7. Distinguish the differences in the setting at the beginning of the story with the
setting at the end. What are the differences and why are they important to the
development of the plot?
Evaluate
8. Assess which details of the setting contribute most to its horror.
Create
9. You are planning to write a horror story in the style of Edgar Allan Poe. You
want to set the scene so that your reader gets a physical sense of it. Since it is
dark, you cannot use visual details; you must use only details of hearing and
touch. Compose a paragraph of your own with details of hearing and touch that
clearly identify the setting.