Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Perverseness Within Everyone'

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Eric Feng Ms. Samora LA 8: Period 7 30 March 2017 The Perverseness Within Everyone Everyone is attracted to the idea of wrongdoing, but for some, it is not shown outright. What does these perverse actions do to others around you? Poe begins the story with the narrator in jail, but it mainly takes place in the narrator’s houses where he lives with his family and pets in tranquility, until he becomes an alcoholic. He has a black cat, Pluto who is his most prized pet. Due to alcoholism, he and his cat stray further away and their relationship deteriorates. To the point where he ends up killing Pluto. Soon after the black cat died he sees another one at a tavern. He is drawn to it and eventually bring it home. For awhile he is happy with the …show more content…

Poe uses metaphors to show us how the narrator sees and how biased he is. Such as when he talks about his relationships with animals. When he is talking he even realizes this,”Something about their unselfish love goes right to the heart. This is especially true for one who has often been disappointed by the weak friendship and loyalty of humans” (Poe 6). He first states that animals’ love goes right to the heart, yet he was unable to stop himself from hurting an animal that has given their love to him. No one in the right mind would do that, unless someone’s perverse actions have lead them to an irrational state where it was out of actions without reasoning. The irony is that even though he himself is human he describes all humans share weak bonds with others yet that is not true. We all have the spirit perverseness but there is also good in the people around us.When the narrator describes alcohol in a metaphor it is if he is blaming alcohol. He states, “During this time, my personality completely changed for the worse. I am ashamed to admit it. This change happened thanks to the help of the Demon Alcohol.” (Poe 11). He blames alcohol for the change in personality but to even begin, you must make the perverse action of taking the first drink. After that it brings out the whole perverse spirit that is within everyone. And with alcohol, his actions also change which lead his life to crumble. In the …show more content…

Metaphors show us how biased the narrator is and compare some of the problems that changed him to be perverse. The irony shown in the The Black Cat represents the narrator’s events and how his perverseness affected it. Symbolism is what displays the narrator’s blindness to his severe situation. It also symbolizes his self destruction. In the end do not let your perverseness decide but let your clear conscience dictate your

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