Consider
thisif you knew that the narrator was, for example, a murderer would you have any sympathy for
him? It could be that this is a person who stole bread because he was starving. Perhaps he
fought off an attacker in self-defense or defended a helpless individual. Or perhapsmost scary
of allhe did not really commit a "crime." By not knowing his name or his supposed
crime, readers can more easily place themselves in the position of the narrator. This
uncertainty increases the fear and suspense felt by the audience, making Poe's story more
effective. Poe loved to incite emotion in his readers. In his own essay titled "Philosophy
of Composition" Poe writes that he "prefer[s] commencing with the consideration of an
effect" when he composes a poem or story. This means that he is not necessarily concerned
with a particular theme or message, but that he likes to create an effect on his reader.
"The Pit and Pendulum" is a great example of this, the effect being
fear.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
What is the effect of leaving the narrator's crime unspecified?
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