Sweet Revenge Pursued in "The Gilded Six-Bits" and "A Cask of Amontillado"

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Revenge is an action that people choose to vow when they are betrayed, offended, or for any other wrongdoing committed towards them. Usually a person has a reasonable motive to attain vengeance. Zora Neale Hurston's story "The Gilded Six-Bits" and Edgar Allan Poe's story "A Cask of Amontillado" present revenge as a method to counterattack someone for a transgression. The more the person is damaged, the more damage they wish to inflict. These short stories serve to demonstrate that revenge is a satisfying act. The revenge in "The Gilded Six-Bits" symbolizes the anger Joe has for the adultery that Missie May committed with Mr. Slemmons. After catching his wife fooling around with another man, Joe is forced to avenge this offense. In "A Cask of Amontillado" Fortunato insulted Montresor and by doing so, he also insulted his family. Montresor seeks the destruction of his rival due to Fortunato's insult. The need for revenge, in these stories, is shown to hurt other people emotionally and physically. Both these stories exemplify the dark side of human nature. Revenge can overwhelm a person, and become the single most important objective in their life. Throughout the short story "A Cask of Amontillado" Edgar Allan Poe, develops the feelings of revenge, held by the central character Montresor. One example for vowing revenge would be through his family's personal values. The Montresor family's coat of arms suggests that when offended the person will not be free from punishment. Montresor's precise premeditated plan reveals his dedication to his act. Montresor knew his limits for his revenge, that he was sure to not jeopardize his life for a moment's pleasure. Montresor's statement "At length I would be avenged, this was a point definitely settled - but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved precluded the idea of risk" lets the reader know

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