In "The Pit and the Pendulum," the narrator faces three forms of death symbolizing psychological and physical torture: nearly falling into a deep pit, being nearly sliced by a descending pendulum, and almost burning to death in a fiery chamber. Each method inflicts intense mental anguish as he contemplates his potential demise, until he is ultimately rescued.

The intense desire of the narrator in "The Pit and the Pendulum" to "find out" information about his cell reveals his desperation to find a means of escape. Poe contrasts the narrator's desire to know the details of his cell with the dread of an unknown, terrible death.

The cell's description in "The Pit and the Pendulum" underscores the story's theme of inhumanity and the loss of humanity through power. The damp, dark dungeon with a deep pit symbolizes the cruel and calculated nature of the protagonist's captors, reflecting the harsh reality of the Spanish Inquisition. The evolving methods of torture, from the pit to the pendulum, emphasize the captors' sadistic control and the dehumanizing effects of their power.

This quote reflects the narrator's belief that consciousness persists even in states close to death or after swooning. It suggests that even when one is near death or unconscious, there is still some level of awareness. The narrator asserts that total loss of consciousness does not occur, implying that this persistent awareness is evidence of human immortality. Despite being near death, the narrator experiences a state where consciousness remains, reinforcing the idea that nothing is entirely lost, even in the grave.

The narrator is terrified of being in a tomb due to the horrifying rumors of torture during the Inquisition, which fuel his fear of being buried alive. In total darkness, with cold, damp surroundings, he fears being entombed and suffocating slowly. His claustrophobia and the uncertainty of his fate compound his terror. He dreads opening his eyes, fearing not gruesome sights, but rather the absence of anything visible, confirming his worst fear of being in complete darkness.

In the second period of "The Pit and the Pendulum," the narrator views death as a form of immortality. He suggests that even in unconsciousness or death, something persists, as dreams do during unconsciousness. The narrator implies that true immortality lies in the legacy and impact a person leaves behind. Thus, death is not an end but a transition to another phase where one's deeds and character continue to influence the world.