Essay Database

THE BLACK CAT The Black Cat is one of Poe's famous murder tales. The story is told by the murderer himself, the narrator is speaking to us on the night before his execution for the crime of killing his wife. He tells of how he was a very timid boy, and how his parents provided him with a variety of pets. He cared for these animals and was befriended by them in return. Jumping forward …

…the wall. In a sudden outburst he pointed out how solid the walls of the house were, tapping with a cane directly on the spot where he had hidden the corpse. Suddenly, a shrill cry erupted out of the wall. The police dismantled the wall and found the corpse already partially decayed, and the cat sitting atop its head. The narrator then realized that he had accidentally trapped the cat in with his wife's body.