Uses complicated narrative structure to heighten suspense in a story
Montresor tells us that the events happened 50 years ago and says “In pace requiescat” or “May he rest in peace” in Latin
Family Coat of Arms elements
Logo: golden foot stepping on a snake (in the story, snake = Fortunato || foot = Montresor)
Motto: "Nemu me Impune Lacessit" —— No one insults me w/ impunity
Vault
Where Montresor is "supposedly" storing the Amontillado, but it was actually the Montresor family crypt (where there were a pile of bones); can be seen as the "dark parody of the Christian story of reincarnation"
Themes of "The Cask of Amontillado"
Revenge: focus of the story; Montresor's whole family is obsessed w/ revenge (based on their motto & coat of arms); Montresor's commitment to revenge is powerful & all-consuming
Folly/Foolish of Pride: central motivation to this story; affects both main characters throughout the story
Paradox: Carnival Season = time of paradox
Traditional costume of a fool/jester
Multicolored
Trowel
Bricklaying tool; invokes the Masons
Family Coat of Arms
Signifies that you are rich at that time; the foot crushing the snake tells us how central revenge is to their family
