Student Question
Why did the narrator harm Pluto's eye in "The Black Cat"?
Quick answer:
The narrator harmed Pluto's eye because he was annoyed that the cat had begun to avoid him. This behavior from the cat was a result of the narrator's own actions, as he had become increasingly cruel and abusive due to his drinking problem. He failed to recognize that his own behavior was the cause of the cat's fear and avoidance.
The narrator took the cat one night and cut its eye out of its socket. He did so because he was annoyed that the cat had started to avoid him. He didn't realize it was his own fault that the cat was avoiding him, having changed so much as a result of his drinking that he was mean to both people and animals.
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