Prompt: How does the passage contribute to the story as a whole? You may want to consider the
importance of a character, theme, a symbol, a conflict, a turning point, the resolution, or how figurative
language depicts an important idea in the novel.
Thesis: In this passage from “The Cask of Amontillado,” Edgar Allan Poe characterizes the narrator as a
sinister, sick, and vengeful man, which causes the reader to question his honesty and reliability.
Body Paragraph #1:
Through Poe’s first-person narration, Montresor’s cruel and evil intentions are revealed. The
narrator’s details allow the reader to see conniving and calculating behavior. Specifically, Montresor
establishes the fact that he “must punish with impunity,” which reveals his desire to avoid being caught
or held responsible for the crime he is planning to commit (Poe 1). Despite his intention to kill
Fortunato, Montresor admits that his “friend” has never had any reason to suspect his evil plans: “He
did not perceive that my smile was now at the thought of his immolation” (Poe 1). Montresor’s disguise
prevents Fortunato from having any clue of his impending death, which the reader ironically knows. All
of these details, specifically the “smile” and his boastful attitude toward his plan, reinforce his sinister
and vengeful nature.