Name: ___________________________
Period: ___________________________
“The Cask of Amontillado” - Close Reading
The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best I could; but when he ventured upon insult, I
vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave
utterance to a threat. At length I would be avenged; this was a point definitively settled but
the very definitiveness with which it was resolved precluded the idea of risk. I must not only punish, but
punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally
unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong.
Questions:
Read sentence #1.
1. What do you think the name Fortunato means? Explain your answer.
2. Do you think there were really a thousand injuries done to Montressor? Why would he say
this?
3. What mood does this first sentence create for you? Why?
Read the entire passage.
4. Why does he assume we know him well? How does that affect you as a reader?
5. “I must not only punish, but punish with impunity.” With a partner, discuss what this
sentence means.
6. What is an example of someone who has “punished with impunity”?
Concluding Assignment:
7. Write a short paragraph predicting what will happen in the story.