Symbolism "Cask Of Amontillado"

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Symbolism in “The Cask of Amontillado” The symbolism throughout Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” constantly pair similar ideas that contradict each other. The characters are unaware of the symbolic details in conversations or events that occur throughout the story. The reader may find him/her self siding with Montresor since we have all been insulted at one time or another, but that doesn’t constitute revenge to the point of killing a person. Literature containing symbolism can be interpreted or viewed differently by the reader. Poe put much effort and thought into the details of his literature, he painted a descriptive picture for the reader matter how dark and dreary. The name “Fortunato” means fortune/fortunate, which is symbolic because it is the complete opposite for the character in this story since his fate has been decided for him, “derivation from the verb fortunate, blessed by the goddess fortuna, or random fate. Naturally, to embrace fortuna was unthinkable in the Reformed traditions. Fate was not random” (87). Montresor is constantly smiling at Fortunato so he will have no suspicion of his bad intentions. “I continued, as was my wont, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation” (108). A kind gesture such as a smile can be misleading, it is hard to depict whether an individual is a friend or foe. Fortunato is dressed as a jester during carnival, unaware of the significance of his attire. “He had on a tight-fitting parti-striped dress, and his head was surmounted by the conical cap and bells” (108). He is dressed as a fool and what a fool he is about to become in the events that are about to transpire. Montresor of course gets the symbolism of Fortunato’s attire and greets him with such excitement. “My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met. How
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