Theme Of Pride In The Cask Of Amontillado

Pride can often prove to be one of a man’s biggest downfalls. This is extremely evident throughout the entire story of The Cask of Amontillado in several ways. One of the most evident ways the theme of pride is shown is through the character of Montresor himself. When his friend Fortunato insulted him, Montresor’s extreme self-pride led him to seek revenge in a great way. Also, the theme is shown through Fortunato because Montresor is able to play off of Fortunato’s pride by promising him a cask of Amontillado, even though it is merely nonexistent. The theme of pride helps the short story develop in many ways. The author is able to use the characters and their actions to develop a plot line and prove that pride can be one of a man’s biggest

Fortunato was a connoisseur, a critical judge of anything, in wine; this is what he prided himself on the greatest. Montresor feels like this is not only Fortunato’s weakness, but is also one of his own personal strengths. He uses this belief and cunningly creates a nonexistent cask of Amontillado that he knows Fortunato would do almost anything to taste. Montresor then says that he is going to have Luchesi taste the wine because “if anyone has a critical turn, it is he” (237). Montresor had the intent of insulting Fortunato’s pride and he knew that that statement would do the job because just like mentioned earlier, Fortunato prides himself on the belief that he is the best wine taster around. Because Montresor insulted him, Fortunato decides to insult Montresor back, but also insults Luchesi at the same time by saying “You have been imposed upon; and as for Luchesi, he cannot distinguish Sherry from Amontillado” (237). Fortunato’s pride is so great that he believes he can do anything because of his connoisseurship, which pushes him deeper into the trap that Montresor is laying down for

Several times throughout the rest of the story, Montresor asks Fortunato if he would rather turn around and head back because of his cough that is getting more severe by the minute, but Fortunato says that they must continue on to the cask of Amontillado. Fortunato’s self-pride is so great that he will not admit or allow any physical weakness or impurity to affect his wine tasting ability. Knowing that, Montresor continues to lead Fortunato to the nonexistent cask of Amontillado, and ultimately to his death. “Proceed… Herein is the Amontillado” (239) Montresor exclaimed, pointing to the chamber that he was planning to bury Fortunato alive in. Fortunato then enters the chamber that supposedly contained the cask of Amontillado, while Montresor begins to build a stone wall enclosing Fortunato inside. It was at this point that the pride and the price of it are greatly shown. Montresor’s pride caused him to immorally commit a murder of his friend with very little thought. Fortunato’s pride caused him to not be able to recognize the effects that his insults may have on people, especially Montresor, and did not allow him to understand the cause of his own murder. This part of the short story really shows how pride can lead to your own downfall, whether it be drastically like Fortunato’s murder, or not as