Name: ________________________________ Section: ________________ H.W.#_______
“ The Black Cat ” by Edgar Allan Poe
Setting: (Frame within a frame) Outer setting: narrator is in a prison cell and addressing an unknown person. Inner setting: flashback to the narrator’s places of dwelling.
Atmosphere (Mood) : creepy, suspenseful, horrifying
Point of View : First person
Protagonist: Narrator Antagonist: Narrator’s madness
Conflict: Person vs. Self
Theme (central message of the author): Man’s struggle with his alter ego: Like in “The Tell Tale
Heart,” the nameless narrator struggles with his alter ego. Though the narrator in “The
Black Cat” similarly professes his sanity (albeit impaired by alcohol), he struggles to control his growing madness. ( Poe’s interest in the concept of concealment arises again in this tale, as in many of his other stories. Concealment can be interpreted literally— concealment of the victim’s body and figuratively—concealment of inner truth and
Plot Line: knowledge as understood by the narrator or reader .)
B .
II. III.
I. A. C.
I. Exposition (Introductory elements such as the characters and setting)
• An outer setting is hinted at
• The narrator reveals his past fondness for animals
• His wife is introduced as being similarly fond of animals
B. Climax (Usually occurs near the very end of a short story—it is the moment of interest or suspense.) most heightened
The narrator raises his hand to deliver the fatal blow by the axe to the head of his innocent wife.
•
Pluto, the cat, is introduced
• The narrator’s growing problem with drinking is introduced
III.
A. Complicating Incident (This sets in motion
Falling Action
• Conceals the body in the partial chimney area
(Usually only 1 or 2 incidents/actions that follow after the climactic scene) everything else in the story. If it wasn’t for this, nothing else of interest would happen in the story.) •
Welcomes the police to investigate
Pluto scratches/bites his owner when frightened by the narrator’s behavior, sending his owner into a mad rage.
C. Resolution/Denouement (The very last part of the short story—how it wraps up.)
II. Rising Action (Most of the action occurs in
• Cries are heard behind the wall and the narrator’s crime is discovered by the police the rising action section—lots of details.)
• The narrator cuts out Pluto’s eye
•
•
•
The cat is alive behind the wall
The narrator’s drinking increases and in another rage, he hangs Pluto from a tree in his yard.
His house burns down the same evening of the day in which he kills Pluto.
•
A mysterious image appears on the one remaining wall of his burned down home.
•
He loses everything and moves to a much smaller apartment.
•
He meets up with the new cat that closely resembles Pluto.
• The new cat psychologically torments the narrator and reminds him of his guilt.