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2
Edgar Allan Poe lifestyle is reflected in most of his works; Edgar Poe endured a difficult
life that is evident in most of his literary works. His writing style in most of his literary works is
influenced by his lifestyle; his life was characterized by social isolation, periods of fear and
irrationality. Moreover, throughout some good part of his life, he struggled with alcoholism, his
literary works represent the common nightmares and hysteria that characterize the careful
structure live of individuals. His writing style also reveals his thoughts about death because they
are his favorite topics, his unique writing style is imperative in defining his life because he
concentrated on writing about the tragedies in his life. Edgar Poe was love stricken because he
loved all the people in his life and often faced betrayal and lived a depressing life because he lost
most of the people he loved. His stories like the cask of Amontillado represent his life through
Edgar Poes life was characterized by isolation which he writes in the Cask of
Amontillado; his life is reflected in one of the characters, Fortunato. In the Cask of Amontillado,
the main character Fortunato suffers isolation in the story; he is left to die in the catacombs after
being tricked by fathers love. Because Edgar Poe suffered a loss and was love stricken in his
life, he used Fortunato as the character to represent his life where the people he loved betrayed
him and made him live a sad life. His love life influenced his writing style by using Fortunato as
the character to represent his lifestyle and experiences. Most of his characters in his works have
psychological problems that symbolize his period of depression1; Fortunato is the center focus in
1
Johnson, Claudia Durst (2010), Social and psychological disorder in the works of Edgar Allan
the Cask of Amontillado. The story opens with Montresor planning how to kill Fortunato
because of the anger and hatred he has for him, and he is filled with vengeance for the event that
occurred fifty years ago. His works are characterized by extreme hate or love because, in his life,
Edgar Poe uses his unique writing skills in the Cask of Amontillado to represent his life
in writing. Throughout his life he struggles with alcoholism, he had become enslaved in
alcoholism and was struggling with the effects of alcoholism in his life. Edgar uses Fortunato in
the Cask of Amontillado as a character that represents his struggle with alcoholism, just like he
struggled with alcohol; Edgar Poe decided to write through Fortunato. Throughout the story,
Fortunato is portrayed as an individual who was kind and ends up being buried alive because of
his thirst for the rare Amontillado. Fortunato incidence traces back to the carnival function that
everyone had attended, the air is filled with vengeance when Montresor bumps into Fortunato
during the carnival, as the two get along with their pretense of everything being fine, they
proceed to the catacombs where Fortunato meets his fate in the story. Montresor knew the
weakness of Fortunato because of his addiction to alcohol; he knew he could not resist the rare
Amontillado that was deep in the catacombs. The addiction of Fortunato to alcohol in the story
symbolizes the struggle against alcoholism in the life of Edgar Poe. Moreover, it reflects on the
life of Edgar when he becomes enslaved to alcohol. Poes idea of evil drinking is used in the
story because eventually, Fortunato ends up being lured by his love for wine that led to his death,
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the issue of evil drinking is important because it is destructive and overpowering just as in his
Although Poe loved life, his thoughts focused mostly on death; the feelings are reflected
in most of his works as one of the themes. In the Cask of Amontillado, Poe effectively uses his
thoughts in the story by focusing on the characters life, in the story, the main character faces
death at the end. Fortunato attempted to avoid the red death by hiding himself together with his
friends. Moreover, Fortunato is lured to death by the rare wine of Amontillado that Montresor
claims to have by the catacombs. Poes literary works reflect his thoughts of death through the
characters, the Cask of Amontillado represents the thoughts of Poe when the story changes to the
motives of Montresor during the carnival event. His death at the catacombs is described to show
the thoughts of the author about death, moreover, when Fortunato attempts to avoid death, the
author effectively describes the scenario to explain his thoughts about death3. Furthermore, Poes
miserable life is reflected in the story through Fortunato through the challenges and trouble he
undergoes till his death and his love for the things Poe likes.
Most elements of Poes life are reflected in his works, the Cask of Amontillado reflects
the struggle from alcoholism, his thoughts about death and the isolation he suffered through the
main character, Fortunato. Poes life finds its way into his works because his life influenced his
style of writing.
2
Meltzer, Milton (2003), Edgar Allan Poe: a biography, Brookfield, CT: Twenty-First Century
Books.
3
Poe, Edgar Allan (1980). The cask of amontillado, Mankato, MN: Creative Education.
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Works Cited
Johnson, Claudia Durst (2010), Social and psychological disorder in the works of Edgar Allan
Meltzer, Milton (2003), Edgar Allan Poe: a biography, Brookfield, CT: Twenty-First Century
Books.
Poe, Edgar Allan and Byron Glaser (1980), The cask of amontillado, Mankato, MN: Creative
Education.