COFFEEHOUSE#2 (Tahirjon’s response)

In my perspective, Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Black Cat” was the most enjoyable from the assigned readings since it incorporated multiple techniques that retained my attention throughout the story. Although the nature of the story might have been described as gruesome and unsettling by some, the first person narration seemed to manipulate the reader into understanding the reasoning associated with their actions. That aspect of the story was appreciated because I was compelled to read further whereas, third person narration would have just resembled a psychological evaluation or a description of a crime scene. I had noticed that the main character’s demeanor had transitioned at some point which could be identified as a twist when their impulses could no longer be solely blamed on alcoholism. For example,the main character had violently removed an eye from his cat, Pluto and eventually hanged this cat due to an internal frustration. However, the main character’s carefully calculated method to conceal his wife’s corpse in the cellar wall revealed that he wasn’t merely a weak man burdened by addiction to alcohol, but self-aware and capable of disguising his guilt. Although, the ax swing was intended for another pet cat, the weapon of choice could have indicated he might have already intended for the animal’s death to be bloody. I had re-read the interior monologues of the main character after each violent action since he had felt remorse because I didn’t want to assume that he was simply an evil person. I appreciated that the main character had described his desire to nurture life in the beginning of the story and how he didn’t derive pleasure from harming others since I began to question whether he should have been imprisoned or admitted to a psychiatric ward. In conclusion, I enjoyed Poe’s”The Black Cat” since it was elaborate and somewhat saddening. -Tahirjon (Vince) Alesso