First-Person Perspective: a Review of the Cask of Amontillado

For the most part, stories may not always become interpreted by an audience in conjunction with the author's intent. Imagine a writer creating a piece of literature based on a hero and a villain. In the author's mind, the hero is to be valued while the villain is despised. If the story fails to adequately provide the author's objective to the audience, the reader may develop an unintended view. The audience may find themselves in love with the villain while the hero becomes the loser. This translation of literature may be entirely dependent on the writer's style. In order for an author to embed an idea within a reader's mind, he or she will focus on the narration of the account. Be it first, second, or third-person perspective, each method may present a different view of the story (Lander, 2015).With each perspective, a particular viewpoint may follow. For example, an audience may find a character to be happy while the story is told in the third person, but secretly on the edge of madness presented from the first-person view. In the tale of The Cask of Amontillado, Edgar Allen Poe uses first person style narration in order to create a unique, intended perspective of the storyline. In The Cask of Amontillado, the story begins with the narrator, Montresor, describing to the audience, the cruelty inflicted upon him by Fortunato. Fortunato seems to be somewhat of a macho, suave fellow who has bullied Montresor to the point of revenge. The narrator even states his intention by saying, "At length I would be avenged" (Mays, 2014, pg. 108). If the author delivered the story from a third person perspective, the audience might not catch on to Montresor's hate for Fortunate. When the two men become engaged in conversation, had not been from the first-person perspective, the reader might think the two men are home boys. The following scene continues to depict Montresor's inner feelings, enabling the viewer to see his real intentions. As...