“The Black Cat” by Poe and “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Gilman.

Characters:

What do the characters desire in the stories? Do they fight against normalcy or desire it?

What affect does the narration style of both stories have on the understandings of the narrator?

What similarities do the charactres share?

Do they have any differences?

Similarities:

First person narrative

Both characters fight against normalcy.

Both characters act against their spouses

Both the characters show violence and madness

The readers get a direct understanding of the character’s emotions and state of mind

The fantastic definition of Todorov is seen in both characters

Symbolism is seen in both stories

Differences:

“The Black Cat” shows more gore and violence and symbolizes guilt

“The Yellow Wallpaper” symbolizes the desire for freedom

The main character from “The Black Cat” faces consequences for his actions.

The protagonist from “The Yellow Wallpaper” expressed more psychological emotions while the protagonist from “The Black Cat” expresses emotions that are more violent and extreme.

Conclusion:

The first person narration style used in both of the stories allowed the readers to get a better understanding of the character’s intentions and desires. Literary device such as symbolism utilized the gothic definitions in both stories.