Comparing The Black Cat And The Tell-Tale Heart

Words: 463
Pages: 2

Many parallels and dissimilarities exist between Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Black Cat” and “The Tell-Tale Heart.” Similarly, the narrators in both short stories are unreliable. The untrustworthy narrators in “The Black Cat” and “The Tell-Tale Heart” contribute to the atmosphere of mystery and suspense. It seems as if the narrators are both suffering from insanity; however, the actions of the narrator in “The Tell-Tale Heart” might be attributed to a mental disorder, while the actions of the narrator in “The Black Cat” might be a result of his alcoholism. Despite the reasons for their madness, it is quite obvious that the narrators are experiencing delusions and paranoia, even though both affirm that they are not mad. As a result, their stories might not be portrayed realistically, which establishes the stories’ uneasy and uncomfortable moods. …show more content…
In each short story, the narrators are overcome by strong emotions due to their madness; however, the outcomes from experiencing these emotions differ. Unable to endure the culpability of murdering an innocent man, the narrator of “The Tell-Tale Heart” is engulfed with guilt until he finally admits to the heinous murder of the elderly man. In contrast, the narrator of “The Black Cat” is overwhelmed with feelings of exasperation. Consequently, this rage is responsible for the deaths of Pluto, the black cat, and the narrator’s wife. Unlike the narrator in “The Tell-Tale Heart,” who deliberately planned and waited to murder his victim, the narrator of “The Black Cat” killed with no