When one reads a text, one is limited to the perspective that the author has decided to provide the reader. Edgar Allan Poe was one of the masters in making his audiences perceive that the person telling his stories was not somebody that they could actually believe in. The narrator in “The Black Cat” is this kind of character, so one is left at a loss when reading the tale. From the outset, one can see that there is something wrong with the narrator, which is confirmed throughout the story.
In general, one could offer many different interpretations for the inconsistencies and lack of trust throughout the text, ranging from alcoholism to him pleading the insanity defense, including that something supernatural really was at play. As such, one cannot really tell if he is telling the truth, lying, insane or reasonable, which may be scarier than simply dismissing him as a lunatic. The narrator in Poe’s “The Black Cat” is so unreliable that one cannot even assure that he is insane, adding suspense and horror to the story.
Nevertheless, it is important to note that one does not really know the motive for this skewed perspective. For one, it could be rage issues, with the narrator testifying, “The fury of a demon instantly possessed me” (Poe). On the other hand, it could also be a result of alcohol, as he seems to abuse of this substance; for example, he uses it to wipe out his sorrows when he says, “soon drowned in wine all memory of the deed” (Poe). In addition, the supernatural could be at play, as hinted by the narrator’s wife.
Furthermore, one must concede that the actions that take place in the story would have a great emotional and psychological toll on anyone, which he acknowledges when he says, “Beneath the pressure of torments such as these, the feeble remnant of the good within me succumbed.” (Poe). Finally, it could also be due to him simply lying in an attempt to be held insane and thus not be hanged. The plethora of possible interpretations that the text gives only makes the story scarier, as one does not know which one is true. The reader is thrown into a tale where the narrator could be insane, or just a very astute person deliberately lying in order to be pardoned for the heinous crimes he committed.
In conclusion, Poe’s superbly written narrator provides extra disorientation and horror to a gruesome story by refusing to be defined within traditional categories of sanity. Even though he is obviously unreliable, one cannot really determine whether he is marring reality on purpose or because of his way of viewing reality. The text allows many possible interpretations that only augment the readers’ sense of dread. It is astonishing to see how literary masters can do so much with the same words that one uses every day.
Works Cited
Poe, Edgar Allan. “The Black Cat”. Poe Stories. Web. 26 Jun. 2016. < http://poestories.com/read/blackcat >.
