the cask of amontillado creative writing assignment examples

72 The Cask of Amontillado Essay Topics & Examples

Writing a theme analysis, thesis statement, or even a topic sentence for The Cask of Amontillado is an exciting opportunity to explore such problems as violence and revenge. Share your opinion on horror fiction with the tips, examples, and topics from our team .

🏆 Best The Cask of Amontillado Essay Topics & Examples

📌 most interesting the cask of amontillado essay topics, 👍 good the cask of amontillado essay questions & titles.

The Cask of Amontillado essay is an exciting opportunity to express your point of view on such problems like drugs and alcohol use, violence, revenge, and share your opinion on horror fiction.

Why Should You Write The Cask of Amontillado Paper?

There are three arguments to choose this short story for your critical review or literary analysis.

First of all, you should acknowledge that Edgar Allan Poe is an inventor of the detective and science fiction genres. He highlighted the worst human features like vindictiveness, drug addictions, fear, etc.

Second, the horror genre is still popular in the modern culture. Scary tales always were an excellent way to express personal and social anxieties over various problems.

Third, Poe’s novels are easy to read but still complicated. You have to focus on details to get the whole picture. Moreover, each time you read the novel you can find new aspects that you might have missed before (Tip: check our The Cask of Amontillado essay examples to find new ideas you haven’t even considered yet).

The Cask of Amontillado Essay Questions

Finding the right paper topic can become a daunting task. That’s why we prepared a bunch of ideas for your The Cask of Amontillado essay topics.

Check them below:

• Why does the author uses the first-person view narration? Think how different the novel could be if it was told from the Fortunato or the third-person point of view.
• Do you sympathize Fortunato or think that he deserved his fate? Explain your opinion.
• Consider writing your The Cask of Amontillado essay thesis on alcohol and alcohol abuse. Could Fortunato escape his fate if he was sober and not addicted to alcohol?
• Compare the revenge and villain in the Poe’s novel to a modern short stories. Would Montresor dare to commit this crime in XXI century? Find analogies in a modern literature and movie production.
• Compare this novel and to Poe’s The Black Cat. Think which novel is the darkest of his writings and provide your arguments.
• Analyse the role of scenery in the plot. Is there a connection between characters’ fate and scenery?
• How our actions and decisions influence our destiny? Analyze why Fortunato decided to taste the amontillado. Could he refuse? Did he have a chance to escape?
• Analyze why trapping Fortunato still not makes Montresor free. Why even 50 years after Fortunato’s death Montresor is still feeling angry.
• Explore the theme of mortality in Poe’s novel. Does it make you think about your own death? Express your thoughts.
• How do the way the murder was commited influences the reader’s comprehension of the story? Would the story differ if Montresor chose another way to kill Fortunado?
• Imagine if Montresor was a woman. How would it change the comprehension of the novel? Are there any signs that Montresor can be a woman?
• Explain, why did Montresor choose family catacomb for a murder. How do you feel about the descriptions of the crime scene?
• Analyze Fortunato’s dressings. Why is he dressed as a fool? Are there features of his character that contradict his image?

Now you have a lot of point to explore in your paper. If you are still not sure how to write The Cask of Amontillado essay outline, you can always check our examples to get inspiration on the topics and paper structure.

• The Cask of Amontillado The use of irony Poe uses three types of irony in the story as a literary tool that facilitates the readers’ understanding of the friendship that exists between Montresor and Fortunato.
• Symbolic Elements in Poe’s “Cask of Amontillado” The name Fortunato is a symbol of the genesis of Montresor’s plan for revenge. The attire is also symbolic of the sacrificial element that applies to Montresor’s revenge.
• Literary Devices in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe As such, Montresor finds his companion’s “transgression” worthy of the cruelest death, and believes that his cause is so right that he deserves to get away with it. Hyperbole There is a sense of this […]
• The Single Effect in Edgar Allan Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado The very first words uttered by the author at the start of the story carried the hook necessary to reel the reader into the story with the desired effect.
• Edgar Allan Poe: ”The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Cask of Amontillado” In this discourse two of his famous short stories, “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Cask of Amontillado” are studied in an attempt to better understand the use of symbolism, the literary tool of irony, and […]
• Revenge Theme in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe He, therefore, decides to seek revenge, but he wants to be careful in order not to risk his life. Fortunato seems to be fond of wine against Montresor, and he decides to use this as […]
• “The Fall of the House of Usher” & “The Cask of Amontillado”: Summaries, Settings, and Main Themes As the narration progresses, fear arises in the reader or viewer, and finally, something horrific happens.”The Fall of the House of Usher” and “The Cask of the Amontillado” share all of the features above, as […]
• An Epilogue to “The Cask of Amontillado” During the specific day that the trial took place, Montresor, the defendant, entered the courtroom for the verdict to be read.
• Imagery Use in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe The story utilizes graphical language and imagery in the development of a sense of deceptive and persuasive nature and circumstances in the expansion of the symbolic approach of sustaining a condition of suspense. The imagery […]
• Edgar Allan Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado Although the revelation of the character of Montressor was done indirectly, the fact that he was also the narrator of the story enabled readers to have access to his thoughts and feelings.
• Montressor in The Cask of Amontillado In addition, Montressor said that he was a friend of Fortunato but he seemed to have acted out of character when he assumed the habits and characteristics of a cold blooded killer.
• Irony in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe As the atmosphere of gaiety during the carnival changes to the horror from the catacombs beneath Montresor’s palazzo the reader ascertains that the carnival was a prelude created by the author to admit the drastic […]
• “The Cask of Amontillado” as an Example of Horror Stories The primary specialty for the author is to capture the horror of the soul in its most vivid manifestations, and this task became the basis for one of his stories.
• Literary Elements in “The Cask of Amontillado” and “Razor” Nabokov and Poe use literary devices to create meaning, connect with the audience and deliver their message. The protagonists are different, with one of them being static, while another one changes.
• Poe’s Short Story “The Cask of Amontillado” At the time of the trial, Montresor is proud of what he did because it was fair in his eyes. According to this alternative reading of the event, Montresor sees family honor as his adversary, […]
• The Short Story “The Cask of Amontillado” by Poe The question that I had from the research was does Poe use the idea of space to reinforce the theme of betrayal, vengeance, and irony in the short story?
• Carnival Season in Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” In this monograph, the author explores the depiction of madness in literary works and specifically Poe’s “The cask of amontillado”. This article in a scholarly journal analyzes the protagonist of Poe’s ‘The Cask of Amontillado’ […]
• Discussion of “The Cask of Amontillado” Fortunato was already drunk by the time he was led to the cask of amontillado. He perfectly lured his victim to the execution place and killed him.
• Epilogue to “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe It is that the murder is a reason for the fifty-two years-old disappearance of the respected Fortunato, and the Montresor’s guild is undeniable”.
• Theme of Hawthorne’s “The Birth-Mark” and Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” However, it is possible that a person artificially invents the cause of his unhappiness and blames the other for this, although the problem might not exist if he had a different attitude to it.
• Evil in Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” and “The Black Cat” The author intentionally uses the first-person point of view in order to reveal their thoughts and highlighting the dread of the happening.
• “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe The plot is told from the first person as the pronoun “I” is used and the story is told in the past tense.
• Edgar Poe and “The Cask of Amontillado” On the day of the carnival Montresor goes looking for Fortunato and finds him a bit tipsy and it is then that he tells him of how he had acquired a rare kind of amontillado […]
• Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart, The Cask of Amontillado, The Fall of the House of Usher In particular, we may analyze such novellas as The Tell-Tale Heart, The Cask of Amontillado, and The Fall of the House of Usher.
• Jury Defense and “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe As a member of the jury sitting in on the trial of Montressor, I feel it is necessary for me to explain the reasons why the jury came to the conclusion it did.
• Browning’s “My Last Duchess” vs. Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” He is regretful of the dowry he did pay and thinks the Duchess was just pretentious. Fortunato is determined, and despite the sorry state of his friend, he tags him along to his demise.
• Edgar Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” and “Ligeia” His method of murder signifies what he knows of stone masonry, of which he is a member, instead of the Masons, which is a secret organization that Fortunato is a member of.
• Edgar Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” Literature Analysis The main character in “The Cask of Amontillado” is Montresor with Fortunato being a minor character in the short story. Also, Montresor is the story’s narrator, and a lot of details about his character are […]
• Narrative Perspectives in Robert Browning’s “My Last Duchess” and Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” One of the reasons why the story The Cask of Amontillado and the poem My Last Duchess are being commonly referred to, as such that represent a particularly high value, is that the narrative perspective […]
• Mini Anthology: Poe Edgar Allan and Dickson Emily’ Works The other story that Poe Allen has written is “The fall of the House of Usher” whereby the main theme is about the haunted house, which is crumbling and this aspects brings out a Gothic […]
• Dark Humor in The Cask of Amontillado Essay The use of horror and humor in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe is one of the literary features that the author uses to constructs the story.
• Use of Setting to Create Mood in Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado”
• Evaluating Symbolism and Irony in “The Cask of Amontillado”
• The Relationship Between Fortunato and Montresor in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe
• The Images of Narrators in Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado”
• Revenge and Mortality in “The Cask of Amontillado”
• The Unjustified Motive for Murder in “The Cask of Amontillado”
• Evaluation of the Role of Montresor in Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado”
• The Irony of Lies and Deceit in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe
• The Revenge of Montresor in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe
• A Dark Mood in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe
• Symbolic Meaning of the Cask in Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado”
• Vowing Revenge in Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado”
• The Misfortunes of Fortunato in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe
• Literary Devices Used by Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado”
• Use of Figurative Language as Persuasion in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe
• The Vengeful Montresor of “The Cask of Amontillado”
• The Psychological Elements in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe
• Irony and Foreshadowing in “The Cask of Amontillado”
• The Theme of Deception and Revenge in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe
• Revenge Isn’t Sweet Forever: Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado”
• The Plot of Vengeance in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe
• Theme of Death and Life Experiences in “The Cask of Amontillado” and “Masque of the Red Death” by Edgar Allan Poe
• The Perspective of Montresor in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe
• Analysis of Homicide as a Result of Vengeance in Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado”
• Sociopathic Killers in “The Cask of Amontillado” by E.A. Poe and “Night of the Hunter” by Charles Laughton
• Repression of Sexuality in “The Cask of Amontillado”
• The Effects of Foreshadowing on the Plot Structure in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe
• The Mental Illness of Montresor in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe
• The Question of Montresor’s Sanity in “The Cask of Amontillado”
• The Mortal Sin of Pride in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe
• The Negative Effects of Uncontrolled Ego in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe
• The Use of First Person Narration in “The Cask of Amontillado”
• Pride and Retribution in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe
• The Use of Mystery and Darkness in “The Cask of Amontillado” and “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe
• Aspects and Analysis of Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” and “The Black Cat”
• The Portrayal of Revenge, Obsession, and the Fear of Being Buried Alive in “The Cask of Amontillado”
• Nature vs Nurture in Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado”
• The Death Penalty in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe
• Setting and Meaning in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe and “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin
• The Role of Illnesses in “The Cask of Amontillado,” “The Black Cat,” and “The Tell-Tale Heart”
• Symbolism, Imagery, and Theme Compared Through the Stories “The Cask of Amontillado” and “The Scarlet Ibis”
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• My Storyboards

The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe

I love sharing "The Cask of Amontillado" with my ninth grade students during the first week of school! I am fortunate enough to teach right outside of Boston, Massachusetts, where this not-so-fictional tale occurred. Going over the background of Poe’s time in the military and being stationed at Castle Island brings this dark romantic tale to life. Students love hearing the truth behind the tale. What they love even more is creating and sharing storyboards that show their understanding of the story. With these activities, you can hook your students and teach them the essentials of this gory tale.

Student Activities for The Cask of Amontillado

Essential Questions for “The Cask of Amontillado”

• Is revenge ever justified?
• How do actions have serious consequences for others, even if you aren't aware of them?
• What is suspense, and how is it used in storytelling?
• How do great writers create a mood that readers can feel? How is this evident in "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe?
• How does Poe use language to create drama?
• How do literary elements affect readers' understanding of a literary work?

"The Cask of Amontillado" Summary

Beware! "The Cask of Amontillado" synopsis below does contain spoilers! This summary is meant to be a helpful recap for students after they have read the story. Or, a useful refresher for teachers to help them decide if they would like to use this short story in the classroom.

What is "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe about?

"The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe, is a short story inspired by true events that took place on Castle Island, a former military fort off of Boston Harbor, in Massachusetts. When Poe was stationed there as young cadet in the Army, he found a peculiar gravestone. After some inquiry, he learned a story of a man who had been walled up alive. Forbidden by his commander to ever repeat the particulars, Poe took the plot line, changed the setting and characters, and wrote this story.

The story is set in Italy, during the Carnival. The narrator, Montresor, without giving the particulars, explains that he has a grudge to settle with Fortunato, who insulted him. Both men being wine connoisseurs, Montresor lures Fortunato into his catacombs by promising him a fine bottle of Amontillado wine.

As the two men travel into the catacombs, Fortunato has no inkling that his friend will betray him. Fortunato is ill, battling a bad cough. Surprisingly, Montresor urges his friend to turn back. Laden with irony and foreshadowing, Fortunato claims, "I will not die of a cough” and continues with Montresor.

When the men finally reach the base of the crypt, Montresor has bricks and mortar awaiting them. He chains Fortunato to the wall and seals him in alive.

More Storyboarding Activity Ideas for "The Cask of Amontillado"

It is so easy to use our assignment wizard to create your own activity from scratch. All you have to do is: give your assignment a title, add directions, provide a template and send it to your students! You can even use any of the storyboards you see within our activities as examples by quickly and easily copying and customizing them for your intended purpose. Don't forget to look through our thousands of worksheet and poster templates as well! You can add as many templates to an assignment as you'd like!

• Create storyboards to show specific causes and effects of events in the story.
• Storyboard the events at Castle Island where Poe got the idea for his story!
• Use a storyboard to show how Poe builds suspense.
• Create an alternate ending to the story with a storyboard that shows and tells the story from a different perspective.
• Complete a storyboard biography of Edgar Allan Poe. (This is a great pre-reading activity!)
• Ask students to create a graphic novel using multiple storyboards that depict the various works of Poe.
• Give students the opportunity to storyboard their answers to "The Cask of Amontillado" Study Guide Questions using images and text, or write their own summary of "The Cask of Amontillado"!
• Want to take Storyboard That offline? Create "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe worksheets with questions and illustrations related to the story.
• Add a presentation to create a "The Cask of Amontillado" interactive project!

Ideas for Post-Reading Activities for "The Cask of Amontillado" for pairs, groups or individuals!

Storyboard That is an excellent tool for students to create fun and engaging projects as a culminating activity after finishing a novel or poem. In addition to our premade activities, here are some ideas that teachers can customize and assign to students to spark creativity in individual students, pairs, or small groups for a final project. Several of these ideas include Storyboard That templates that can be printed out or copied into your teacher dashboard and assigned digitally. All final projects can be printed out, presented as a slide show, or, for an extra challenge, as an animated gif!

• For Groups: Turn Edgar Allan Poe's story, "The Cask of Amontillado", into a short play to reenact the narrative for the class! Use the traditional storyboard layout to plan out your scenes. You can add text to your storyboards, or simply use the cells to visualize each scene of your play.
• Using one of Storyboard That’s board game templates , create a game based on the story for your classmates to play!
• For Groups: Divide the parts of the story amongst your group members. Each member of the group creates a storyboard for their assigned part.
• Using the worksheet layout and Storyboard That’s worksheet assets, create your own "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe worksheet! They can be in the form of a test or a quiz for other students in the class. You can create all kinds of questions such as multiple choice, short answer, and even matching! When you are done, be sure to make an answer key.
• Using one of Storyboard That’s biography poster templates, create a poster about the character or the author. Be sure to include important biographical features such as: place and date of birth, family life, accomplishments, etc.
• Create a book jacket of the story using one of Storyboard That’s book jacket templates. Use Storyboard That art to create the cover, and write a summary of the story on the back, just like real books have!
• Using one of Storyboard That’s social media templates as a starting point, create a social media page for the character or the author! Be sure to think how the character thinks while creating this page.
• Create a scrapbook page made by the character or the author. Storyboard That has lots of premade templates that you can use as is, or change to fit your character’s personality! Check out our scrapbook templates today!

Edgar Allan Poe Lesson Plan

Author study.

Extend and enhance your students' knowledge of Poe and his works by conducting an Author Study . Students can research more about Edgar Allan Poe, read his various stories and poems and make connections to his life and the time period. Students can use storyboards to analyze his work, his style, prevalent themes and more!

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About the Author: Edgar Allan Poe

"Words have no power to impress the mind without the exquisite horror of their reality.” - Edgar Allan Poe, "The Fall of the House of Usher" , 1839

Edgar Allan Poe was an American short-story writer, poet, critic, and editor. He is internationally known as a literary genius. Some of his most famous poems and short stories, like "The Cask of Amontillado", are dark tales of grief, mystery, macabre and the supernatural.

Some of the most famous works by Edgar Allan Poe in order of their publication are: "The Fall of the House of Usher" (1839), "The Masque of the Red Death" (1842), "The Pit and the Pendulum" (1843), "The Tell-Tale Heart" (1843), "The Black Cat" (1843), "The Purloined Letter" (1844), "The Raven" (1845), "The Cask of Amontillado" (1846), and "The Bells" (1848). All are considered literary classics today.

Poe was born January 19, 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts. His life was fraught with tragedy from an early age. His father, David Poe, Jr. abandoned the family when Poe was just a baby. Poe's mother, English-born Elizabeth Arnold Poe, was a well-liked actress who tragically died of tuberculosis when Poe was only 3 years old. He carried an image of his mother throughout his life.

Poe was taken in by John Allan, a successful tobacco merchant in Richmond, VA and his wife, Frances Allan. While Poe was sadly separated from his siblings William and Rosalie, he was afforded the opportunity of a good education and was doted upon by Mrs. Allan, who had no children of her own. Poe showed great promise with writing at an early age but was discouraged by his foster father who preferred he go into the family business.

It is said that Poe had a loving relationship with his foster mother but sadly, Mrs. Allan, too, died of tuberculosis when Poe was a young man. Poe had a difficult relationship with his strict foster father. Mr. Allan helped Poe attend the University of Virginia for one year and later the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, but otherwise he and Poe had a tumultuous relationship. Mr. Allan did little to help Poe financially and even left Poe out of his will. Despite his talents as a writer, Poe struggled with money, gambling, alcohol, and poor health throughout his life.

Career and Marriage

At the University of Virginia, Poe impressed his classmates with his talents as both a writer and an artist. While away at school, Poe's fiancee, Sarah Elmira Royster became engaged to another. Heartbroken, in 1827, Poe moved to Boston where he published his first pamphlet of poems followed by another volume in 1829 in Baltimore. In 1833, Poe published the short story, "MS. Found in a Bottle" and in 1835, he became the editor of the "Southern Literary Messenger" in Richmond. Having finally found a stable profession, Poe was then married to his much younger cousin, Virginia Clemm.

Poe was known as a harsh and combative critic at the "Southern Literary Messenger" and his stint there didn't last long. His reputation as being antagonistic was well known and he even had a feud with another famous poet of his day, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow . Poe bounced around, working for various other magazines and journals and in 1844 he moved to New York City with his wife, Virginia. Despite his numerous publications prior, it wasn't until he published "The Raven" in 1845 that he was finally considered a popular literary star of his day. So much so that Poe's nickname even became, "The Raven". It was published in "The Evening Mirror" where Poe worked as a critic and it became an overnight sensation. While the publication of "The Raven" brought Poe great acclaim and fame, it did not bring him any fortune. In fact, he earned a mere $14.00 for it. Having lived most of his life impoverished despite steadily working, Poe was an advocate for better wages for writers.

When Poe wrote "The Raven" he was foreshadowing the loss of his own beloved. On January 30, 1847, in a tragic twist of fate, Poe's young wife, Virginia, died of tuberculosis at the age of 24 - the same age his mother was when she died and the same cause of death as both his mother and foster mother. Poe fell into a deep depression and although he continued to work, suffered poor health, both mental and physical. Poe did manage to write an ode to his lost love called, "Annabel Lee".

Poe was known to have abused alcohol and was said to have looked pale and sickly in the days leading up to his death. It is unknown the exact cause of Poe's death. Some suspect foul play, others believe that it was actually rabies that led to his early demise. He was found delirious and semi-conscious on the streets of Baltimore, Maryland and died in the hospital on October 7, 1849 at the age of 40. Poe's final words were, "Lord, help my poor soul."

Edgar Allan Poe is remembered as a singular talent of imaginative storytelling. His works helped define the Romanticism and American Gothic Literary Movements of his time and he is recognized as one of the first authors of detective fiction . His works continue to influence many books and movies today. Despite his sorrowful life, his legacy lives on.

Read more in our Picture Encyclopedia entry on -Poe}">Edgar Allan Poe !

How To Develop an Understanding of Gothic Writing

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The Cask of Amontillado

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1. In “The Cask of Amontillado,” Edgar Allan Poe masterfully employs suspense and symbolism to create a chilling tale of revenge.

• How does Poe build suspense throughout the story, and what effect does it have on the reader’s experience? ( topic sentence )
• Analyze specific examples of suspenseful moments and how they build toward the story’s climax.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, discuss the significance of the suspense in enhancing the theme of Revenge in the story.

2. The narrator, Montresor, embodies the theme of Deception and Devious Calculation as the story unfolds.

• What role does deception play in Montresor’s plot for revenge? ( topic sentence )

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Teaching the cask of amontillado, take a drink of shmoop..

• Activities: 14
• Quiz Questions: 10

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Description

We have a few (non-alcohol, classroom-friendly) mixers to go with Cask of Amontillado, which will make it go down a little more smoothly.

In this guide you will find

• an activity playing with narrative perspective.
• a reading quiz to be sure students know who’s burying whom.
• discussion questions exploring the story’s heady symbolism.

Please Shmoop responsibly.

What's Inside Shmoop's Literature Teaching Guides

Shmoop is a labor of love from folks who love to teach. Our teaching guides will help you supplement in-classroom learning with fun, engaging, and relatable learning materials that bring literature to life.

Inside each guide you'll find quizzes, activity ideas, discussion questions, and more—all written by experts and designed to save you time. Here are the deets on what you get with your teaching guide:

• 13-18 Common Core-aligned activities to complete in class with your students, including detailed instructions for you and your students. 
• Discussion and essay questions for all levels of students.
• Reading quizzes for every chapter, act, or part of the text.
• Resources to help make the book feel more relevant to your 21st-century students.
• A note from Shmoop's teachers to you, telling you what to expect from teaching the text and how you can overcome the hurdles.

Want more help teaching Teaching The Cask of Amontillado?

Check out all the different parts of our corresponding learning guide.

Instructions for You

Objective: " The Cask of Amontillado " is narrated by a murderer and told from his perspective. In this activity students consider the multiple relevant perspectives at stake in the story and employ one of them to retell the tale. Students answer critical questions about the story, participate in classroom discussion, and write an creative retelling of the story from Fortunato's perspective of being buried alive.

Teachers can expect to spend about 30-50 minutes on classroom discussion and possibly one or two more class periods for students to present original work.

Step 1: Pose the following question to your students: consider the perspective through which Poe chose to tell "The Cask of Amontillado." What are some possible reasons why he chose to focus on the murderer's point of view?

Step 2: Have student brainstorm in groups. Ask them to think about what would change if the point of view changed and what effect the point of view has on the story (characters, plot, themes, symbols, etc.).

And now for the prompt:

Rewrite "The Cask of Amontillado" from Fortunato's unfortunate point of view. As you work on your piece, be sure to mirror the story with respect to symbols (for example, what imagery and motifs would be significant to the victim in this last moments alive), themes, and other plot devices.

Step 3: [Optional] Students present their stories to the class or in small groups.

(California English Language Arts Standards Met: 9th & 10th grade Reading 1.1, 1.2, 2.3, 2.5, 2.6, 3.1, 3.3, 3.4, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.11; Writing 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5, 1.9, 2.2, 2.3; 11th & 12th grade Reading 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.4, 2.5, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4; Writing 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.9, 2.2.)

Instructions for Your Students

Take two! Feel like " The Cask of Amontillado " is a little one-sided (what with it being told from the murderer's perspective)? Wondering what exactly Fortunato was thinking, feeling, eeking about during the story? Well, here's your chance to set the record straight and retell the story from the perspective of a…um…less crazy person.

Step 1: Consider the perspective through which Poe chose to tell "The Cask of Amontillado." What are some possible reasons why he chose to focus on the murderer's point of view?

Step 2: Write a creative retelling of the story from Fortunato's perspective of being buried alive.

Prompt: Rewrite "The Cask of Amontillado" from Fortunato's unfortunate point of view. As you work on your piece, be sure to mirror the story with respect to symbols (for example, what imagery and motifs would be significant to the victim in this last moments alive), themes, and other plot devices.

Need some help? Check out these Shmoop resources:

• "Cask of Amontillado" narrator point of view
• "Cask of Amontillado" themes
• "Cask of Amontillado" symbolism
• "Cask of Amontillado" quotes
• "Cask of Amontillado" characters: Fortunato

Step 3: [Optional] Present your story to the class or in small groups.

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W hy's T his F unny?

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• Teacher Guide Central

“Cask of Amontillado” Lesson Plans with Character and Plot Analysis

Teaching “the cask of amontillado”.

These “Cask of Amontillado” teaching materials contain a “Cask of Amontillado” summary and “Cask of Amontillado” literary analysis, along with lesson ideas.

Amontillado in the Classroom

The thousand injuries of my administrator I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon a poor evaluation, I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat. At length I would be avenged; this was a point definitively settled — but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved precluded the idea of risk. I must not only punish, but punish while having my evaluation changed. It must be understood that neither by word nor deed had I given my administrator cause to doubt my good will. I continued as was my wont, to smile at his bad jokes, to provide “Cask of Amontillado” teaching materials with a “Cask of Amontillado” summary, and “Cask of Amontillado” analysis when he came for an observation. He did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation. He had a weak point — this administrator– although in other regards he was a man to be respected and even feared. He prided himself on his connoisseurship of Edgar Allan Poe short stories, which is why he would be amazed by these “Cask of Amontillado” teaching materials with a “Cask of Amontillado” summary, and a “Cask of Amontillado” literary analysis, and be distracted while I buried a hatchet into his brain immediately after writing a good evaluation.

ELA Common Core Standards Covered

The following lesson plan covers the following ELA common core standards for reading and writing.  This is for your administrator, not your kids.  Kids need student-friendly worded objectives.

• RL.9-10.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• RL.9-10.3 Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
• RL.9-10.5 Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.
• RL.9-10.7 Analyze the representation of a subject or a key scene in two different artistic mediums, including what is emphasized or absent in each treatment.

_______________________________________

We interrupt these lesson plans to present the “Cask of Amontillado” Teacher’s Unit Plan. It contains (in addition to what you see here):

• Common core aligned lesson plans
• An annotated copy of the short story
• Graphic organizers
• Writing assignments with rubrics
• Assignments with answer keys
• Multiple choice and short answer quiz with key

__________________________________________

“Cask of Amontillado” Plot Summary

Montresor doesn’t like Fortunato on account of the thousands of injuries he has caused, injuries that he bears magnanimously, but when Fortunato resorts to insult…well, Montresor vows revenge.

It’s Carnivale in Italy and good wine is at a premium. Montresor uses stratagem to lure Fortunato into his underground vaults to exact his revenge, a revenge which must go unpunished, and a revenge that Fortunato must be made aware. In order to trick Fortunato, Montresor concocts a story about receiving a cask of Amontillado and not being sure if he has been duped. Fortunato, ever so happy to display his wine wisdom, agrees to accompany Montresor into the catacombs under his house to test the wine.

In addition to Fortunato’s eagerness, there are two things that allow Montresor’s plan to succeed: (1) Fortunato is extremely drunk. Not only is it apparent that he has been drinking heavily at the Carnival celebration, a rather common activity for this time of year, he continues to drink heavily as the two proceed toward the Amontillado. (2) Montresor is a master of reverse psychology and irony. Numerous times, he cautions Fortunato about his cough and declares his wish to go to Luchesi–whom we know little of other than Fortunato thinks he’s an ignoramus. This mention of Fortunato’s rival makes him all the more eager to prove Montresor’s imbecility in buying Amontillado from a huckster.

The two proceed down the ancient corridor when, suddenly, Montresor chains Fortunato to a wall, where he has remained ever since.

Analysis of “The Cask of Amontillado”

Characters : The question that must be answered is what exactly, if anything, does Fortunato do to cause such hatred in Montresor. The two exchange lively banter in the catacombs, yet nothing is revealed in regards to the insult needed to be avenged. (I just want you all to know that if you insult me and I chain you to a wall in the catacombs under my house, I’ll at least tell you why before I put in the last brick.) There is ample evidence to suggest that Fortunato is a pompous ass and capable of insult. There is ample evidence, also, that Montresor is a whack job and could have murdered Fortunato for no reason. In addition, there is ample evidence that Montresor is a big enough whack job to make up the entire story…of course, there’s evidence that he is a big enough whack job to do exactly what he describes.

Theme : Poe lays out for his reader the perfect revenge: (1) The vengeful act must go unpunished; (2) The avenged must know who is the avenger. The calculating manner in which Montresor carries out his perfect revenge is enough to cause hesitation when insulting my friends.

Setting : The story’s success relies, in part, on its setting. The anything goes frivolity of Carnival season juxtaposed with the seriousness and gravity of the catacombs creates a perfect contrast for the murder.

Mood : Although Carnival season is a time for celebration, Poe describes the costumes in a manner that elicits a shudder. The dank catacombs establish a perfect mood for that special someone in your life you’ve been wanting to diabolically murder for insulting you when you were nine (Yea, I’m talking to you Peterson. How dare you call me poopie pants!) without getting caught.

Irony :This story presents a wonderful opportunity for teaching verbal irony.

Lesson Plans and Ideas for “The Cask of Amontillado”

If you like these lesson plans for “The Cask of Amontillado,” you’ll love this teacher’s guide for “The Black Cat.” It contains several lesson plans tied to the Common Core Standards, writing rubrics, graphic organizers and an annotated copy of the story to help with pacing and class discussion. You might even find the annotations as entertaining as the story (but probably not) . Find more like it at Teacher Guide Central . Here’s a free Black Cat Suspense graphic organizer.

• Poe is the master of suspense. Adapt this teaching suspense lesson plan.
• Define verbal irony–when what someone says means something other than what it appears to mean. For example, Montresor drinks to Fortunato’s health and long life, meaning the thought of Fortunato dying is worth celebrating. Fortunato of course thinks Montresor’s toast is the traditional wishing of good health. Fortunato’s stupid.
• Create a three column chart: (1) Label the left column “example of verbal irony” (depending on the class, you may want to provide examples; (2) Label the middle column “the apparent meaning”; (3) Label the right column “the actual meaning”; (4) If you desire, create an extra column labeled “how the example contributes to the story’s theme.”

Short Story Teacher’s Guides

Teaching the Reading Literature Common Core Standards are easy with short stories.

• The Black Cat
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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — The Fall of The House of Usher — The Cask of Amontillado: Quote Analysis

The Cask of Amontillado: Quote Analysis

• Categories: The Fall of The House of Usher

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Words: 744 |

Published: Mar 20, 2024

Words: 744 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

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“the thousand injuries of fortunato i had borne as i best could, but when he ventured upon insult i vowed revenge.”, “a huge human foot d’or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel.”, “he had a weak point—this fortunato—although in other regards he was a man to be respected and even feared.”, “the cough is a mere nothing; it will not kill me. i shall not die of a cough.”, “in its surface were two iron staples, distant from each other about two feet, horizontally. from one of these depended a short chain, from the other a padlock.”, “for the half of a century no mortal has disturbed them. in pace requiescat”.

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The Cask of Amontillado

Updated 25 April 2021

Subject Books ,  Writers

Downloads 114

Category Literature

Topic Edgar Allan Poe ,  Poets ,  The Cask of Amontillado

This was the second time I was reading the novel, The Cask of Amontillado, and I chose it because I've always liked Poe's way of introducing his characters and plot creation, and as always, Poe didn't get frustrated. Therefore, the topic below introduces my reaction to the character of Montressor and Poe's plot creation.Poe tells the tale from the point of view of Montresor, who will soon become a vengeance killer (Poe 2016, p.84). I loved how Poe presented his work presents his work since it gives the reader an opportunity to see the way the murder is thinking, planning, and contemplating how he will achieve his heinous mission. However, I think Montresor is a less reliable character since though I am convinced that he is honest about his actions and thoughts regarding the revenge he is planning, I observed that he avoids revealing his hesitation of following through his plan and harm his friend. The first time I read through the short story, it did not occur to me why Montresor consistently insists that his friend should not accompany him to see the pipe of Amontillado. At the first instance, I could not comprehend Montresor's hesitation to lead his friend to what he thinks is a justified retribution; I was convinced that Montresor was making excuses to prevent his plan from happening. However, when I read the story the second and the third time, I realized that Montresor was using reverse psychology to ensure that Fortunato accompanies him to the pipe of Amontillado (Rust 2011, p.33). The more Montresor insists that Fortunato should not accompany him, the more Fortunato becomes eager and insists that he must accompany his friend. Upon this realization, I was baffled at Montresor's cunning and scheming nature and the intelligence with which he planned and executed the revenge.As well, Montresor proved to be better at utilizing people's weaknesses for his selfish gains than I had perceived him to be. For instance, Montresor says to Fortunato, "My friend, no; I will not impose upon your good nature. I perceive you have an engagement,"(Rust 2011, p.33). This is a trick which Montresor uses to express his unwillingness to go with Fortunato to the pipe of Amontillado. However, his hidden motive is to spark the desire of his friend to come with him so that he can execute his plan. This is why when Fortunato protests that he is not engaged, Montresor responds that "It is not the engagement, but the severe cold with which I perceive you are afflicted. The vaults are insufferably damp. They are encrusted with nitre" (Poe 2016, p.84) Finally, I could not help but wonder at Montresor's ability to use people's weakness to his advantage since Fortunato became impatient with Montresor's begrudging and said, "Let us go, nevertheless. The cold is merely nothing. Amontillado! You have been imposed upon." By utilizing the bond of friendship, he shared with Fortunato, Montresor succeeds in tricking Fortunato to accompany him to Amontillado (Baraban 2014, p.51). Though Montresor is visibly insane, I was hoping that the bond of friendship he shared with Fortunato would restrain him from completing his plan hence change Fortunato's fate. However, as it turned out, Fortunato was not so fortunate after all.When it comes to the plot development, I marveled at how Poe beautifully constructs a highly captivating story by hooking the reader with suspense. Though the clues in the story point to an inevitable demise for Fortunato, the story compels the reader to absorb each word since it is not very clear how the end will be. For instance, when the two friends finish enjoying a drink, Montresor claims that Fortunato has insulted him gravely and though he does not disclose his friend's mistakes, he lets the reader know that Fortunato's mistake was unforgivable (Rust 2011, p.33). Though the reader is aware that Montresor is planning revenge, Poe leaves the reader to contemplate and anticipate which type of punishment that Fortunato will face. As well, when Montresor lures his friend down into the vault, Poe builds the reader's suspense, and at this instance, the book is irresistible, and the author has already established a strong plot for the story (Carlsmith, Wilson & Gilbert 2008, p.1316).Finally, Montresor and Fortunato arrive at their destination, and he realizes that there is no Amontillado but only a hole in the wall. Montresor pushes Fortunato inside and begins to seal the hole with bricks amidst Fortunato's screams and pleas to be released (Baraban 2014, p.47). However, it is too late since Montresor has fulfilled his plan and as he walks away, he is confident that he will get away with his crime since no one has disturbed the bones of the crypt for 50 years (Poe 2016, p.84). Poe succeeds in developing a well thought out plot since he takes the reader on the journey of revenge; from when the wrong was done to the planning and execution of the revenge. However, what was most interesting as I read through the plot is how well the revenge plan was executed so that Fortunato did not realize what was happening until it was too late. This masterful presentation would not have been possible without Poe's skill and ability to sustain the reader's suspense all the way to the end of the story.Cited WorksBaraban, Elena V. "The Motive for Murder in" The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe." Rocky Mountain Review of Language and Literature (2014): 47-62.Carlsmith, Kevin M., Timothy D. Wilson, and Daniel T. Gilbert. "The paradoxical consequences of revenge." Journal of personality and social psychology 95.6 (2008): 1316.Poe, Edgar Allan. The cask of amontillado. The Floating Press, 2016.Rust, Richard Dilworth. "Punish with Impunity": Poe, Thomas Dunn English, and" The Cask of Amontillado." The Edgar Allan Poe Review (2011): 33-52.

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The Cask of Amontillado Overview

How it works

“Edgar Allan Poe was born in 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts. Poe is known to make dark and mysterious poems like “The Tale-Tale Heart” and “The Fall of the House of Usher” of which received criticism from the public. Poe’s creations became a staple in Southern fictions and gave people an insight into why people are afraid of death, the supernatural and, evil. Poe’s work has become a contributor to the horror genre. Edgar Allan Poe uses the fiction elements of plot, point of view, and character to illustrate the theme of revenge in the “Cask of Amontillado.

The plot throughout the story Edgar Allan Poe made it very clear that all Montresor wanted was to get revenge. Montresor comes off as a person who is unsympathetic towards for Fortunato. Elena V. Baraban concluded that “unable to find a logical explanation of Montresor’s hatred for Fortunato, most commentators conclude that Montresor is insane” (167). Montresor comes off as insane to most readers because people do not act in murderous ways when something happens. Montresor also comes off as a person who is full of themselves. He also brags about getting away with murder in the story. Montresor portrayed that “For the half of a century no mortal has disturbed them” (89). He was able to keep the bones covered for 5 decades without anyone knowing what he did. The point of view is told from Montresor’s view. He is the narrator therefore the story is told in first person. Montresor is unapologetic on what he did to Fortunato. Poe would express the characters through poetry that was filled with expression. So Montresor’s bragging can be seen as a confession to others.

Fortunato is a completely different story compared to Montresor. The readers are unaware what Fortunato did in order to be murdered. The readers cannot exactly say whether or not Fortunato deserved a harsh punishment such as murder. Montresor is able to use Fortunato’s weak points against him since its very evident. It became very obvious that he is very addicted to wine. Amontillado is a wine and Montresor was able to use that to his advantage. Fortunato is also very prideful. He wants to prove to Montresor that he was a better wine tester than his friend Luchesi. In the story, Fortunato claimed, “How?” “said he. Amontillado? A pipe? Impossible! And in the middle of the carnival!” (8). He was probably trying to make it seem that he was an ‘expert’ in order to get his hands on the wine unknowingly digging himself a grave.

Many people will believe that Montresor’s telling of his story is a confession. Talking about it almost five decades later on without a soul knowing until that very moment can be seen that way. However, others will be able to see his true motives. He was bragging about what he has done. He was unremorseful about his actions throughout the story. From start to finish, he was able to commit murder without a doubt in his mind in order to get revenge.

In the story, The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe, used the fiction elements of plot, point of view and character to illustrate the theme of revenge. The reader can use Montresor’s actions in order to see that we should stop and think about our actions. Violence is never the answer in order to solve your problems. People should be able to reflect on our past actions and not regret things that we’ve done. If Montresor had not said anything about Fortunato’s murder, then he possibly would not have to suffer the consequences. Just because Montresor got away scot free does not mean that you or others will.”

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Example Of Essay On The Cask of Amontillado

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Literature , Family , Death , Emotions , The Cask of Amontillado , Wine , Montresor , Actions

Words: 1100

Published: 04/14/2021

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Edgar Allan Poe’s short story, The Cask of Amontillado, is a confession of a murder that occurred 50 years prior, whereby the narrator was never caught or tried despite his wrongdoing. It tells of one man’s hatred against an unsuspecting individual, whom the narrator has been plotting to kill because of alleged insults the individual made towards him (Baraban 47). All throughout the story, it was never revealed what these remarks were, but which apparently wounded the narrator’s ego so much that he wanted to exact vengeance on the person. Betrayal is also a central theme in the story as the narrator lured the trusting individual to check on a new batch of Amontillado, which was actually bait just so he could fulfill his evil plans. The concept of death dangles from the beginning of the story until the end, which is not only about the death of one of the lead characters, but of the nobleman’s family members. It shows how retribution could lead to vengeance with death as the final option. The story’s two central characters depict contrasting attributes that contribute to the themes of revenge, betrayal, imprudence, and death.

Montresor is the narrator in the story. He has harbored ill feelings towards Fortunato for a long time already, although showing only his good side to him. He never expounded on reasons for his dislike of Fortunato except to say that he “mortally insulted” him. Montresor comes out as a ruthless and cold-blooded murderer by the way he carried out his plans for vengeance. He played with Fortunato’s feelings by appealing to his (Fortunato’s) deep sense of pride of being a wine connoisseur. Informing Fortunato that he has a cask of Amontillado, he lured Fortunato into his death chamber, while ensuring that Fortunato becomes drunk along the way (“The Cask of Amontillado”). Considering that Montresor never mentioned the reasons for his anger towards Fortunato, readers cannot determine whether Fortunato’s manner of death is fair and justifiable. Thus, this aspect remains a mystery. He appears to be psychopathic and obsessive because of his fixation on killing Fortunato for whatever misdeeds he has done to Montresor. Harboring the negative feelings for a long time ended with Montresor killing Fortunato and executing his plans himself. Born from a noble family, surely, Montresor has the means to hire someone to carry out his plans. And yet, he chose to do the deed himself to ensure that no one knows about the murder and that Fortunato, indeed, ends up dead. His insecurity comes out because he wanted the assurance of knowing and seeing Fortunato dead. Apart from killing Fortunato himself, Montresor wants to assert that he is in control and has the final word on his relationship with Fortunato (Fossemo).

Montresor also shows how unsympathetic of a character his is by ignoring Fortunato’s pleas for help. By burying Fortunato alive, his ruthlessness comes out because instead of allowing Fortunato die a fast and excruciating death either using a gun or a knife, he chose for Fortunato to die a slow and painful death until he loses his breath. With his actions, Montresor even seem to find joy and satisfaction in the fact that it was he who carried out his own plans (Gruesser).

Fortunato, on the other hand, is a playful and joyful individual who was unaware of the graveness of his actions towards Montresor. His free-spiritedness and openness with his thoughts are what made it easy for Montresor to manipulate and eventually, kill him. In the story, it was Fortunato’s seemingly simplemindedness and trusting nature that cost him his life.

Montresor, knowing that Fortunato prides himself with being a wine connoisseur, used this information to entice Fortunato to join him in their family’s wine cellar. Upon their meeting, Fortunato was already a bit drunk, which made it easier for Montresor. Fortunato may be considered addicted to wine and playing by this fact, Montresor even got Fortunato even more drunk on their way to the catacomb. This addiction, literal (fondness for wine) and figurative (thoughts of being the expert when it comes to wine) addiction, pushed him to his death.

Montresor knew how much Fortunato prides himself for being the authority when it comes to wine, thus, he kept on bringing up Luchesi’s name to further egg Fortunato to take on the bait. Luchesi is the other known wine connoisseur whom Fortunato considers as his rival. His self-confidence or greed further led him to his demise because he wanted to be the first to taste the Amontillado, as it could mean a level higher than his number one competitor. It could also be that even if Montresor does not mention or focus much on the Amontillado, just knowing that Luchesi is being considered to taste the Amontillado ahead of him, Fortunato, with his pride and greed, must have thought he should have the first hand on the wine.

As an individual, Fortunato seems to be a thoughtless person such that he does not appear to notice when he has offended someone with his actions and words. For instance, considering that he has known Montresor for a long time and they have had moments spent together, Fortunato never assumed or noticed Montresor’s negative feelings and ill-mannered conduct towards him. It took years before Montresor was able to carry out his plans despite maintaining a false friendship with Fortunato. This very much shows how much of an insensitive person he is.

Works Cited

Baraban, Elena, V. “The Motive for Murder in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe.” Rocky Mountain Review of Language and Literature 58.2 (2004): 47-62. Web. 7 October 2023. <http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/1566552?uid=3738824&uid=2&uid=4&sid=21102743634773>. Fossemo, Sandro, D. “Article: The Mysterious Revenge in the “Cask of Amontillado”.” Innsmouth Free Press. 2013. Web. 8 October 2013. <http://www.innsmouthfreepress.com/blog/?p=22136>. Gruesser, John. “Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado.” N.d. Web. 8 October 2013. <http://ezproxy.northwestms.edu:2054/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lfh&AN=556032&site=lrc-live>. “The Cask of Amontillado.” Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore. 2009. Web. 8 October 2013. <http://www.eapoe.org/works/reading/pt063r1.htm>.

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