Topics for Discussion
Last Updated on July 29, 2019, by eNotes Editorial. Word Count: 184
1. Who is the narrator addressing? Who is the "you" to whom Montresor confesses his crime? What is his motivation in telling the story?
Writing an essay?
Get a custom outline
Our Essay Lab can help you tackle any essay assignment within seconds, whether you’re studying Macbeth or the American Revolution. Try it today!
2. Discuss the function and symbolism of wine in the story.
See eNotes Ad-Free
Start your 48-hour free trial to get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts.
Already a member? Log in here.
3. Why do you think Poe gives no explanation of the "thousand injuries" and final "insult" committed by Fortunato? What can you guess about them based on the interaction between the men? How do you explain the fact that Fortunato does not ask why Montresor is ready to kill him?
4. Consider all the factors that work in combination to lead Fortunato to his demise, including his drunkenness and his pride. What makes this a particularly lethal combination?
5. Is Montresor ever sorry for what he did? Explain the passage in which Fortunato begs for his life and Montresor replies, "Yes, for the love of God." Why, at the end of the story, does Montresor say "Rest in peace"?
6. Charles Dana, an early reviewer of Poe's stories, described them as "clumsily contrived, unnatural, and every way in bad taste." What other works that might fit this description also eventually won critical and popular favor?
See eNotes Ad-Free
Start your 48-hour free trial to get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts.
Already a member? Log in here.