Several qualities in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe that engage the reader’s attention are the use of dramatic and verbal irony, the building of suspense, and the vivid imagery throughout the story. The first aspect of this short story that captures reader’s attention is the utilization of dramatic and verbal irony. Until Montessor can actually chain Fortunado, he verbalizes the idea that Fortunado will live a long and prosperous life, as shown here, “your health is precious” (Poe 2), and here, “And I to your long life” (Poe 3). This engages readers because they are aware that Montessor has no intentions of letting fortunado live this long life, which leaves them with two questions: has Montessor changed his mind all together about his revenge, or if not, when will he kill Fortunado.
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This, among other factors, keeps the reader interested until the end to find out the answer to their question. The second aspect of this story that makes it engaging is the building of suspense leading up to Fortunado’s death. As the pair is heading to the catacombs at Montressor’s palazzo, the suspense begins to build, as exemplified here, “I passed down a long and winding staircase, requesting him to be cautious as he followed” (Poe 2), and climaxes here, when Montessor has almost completed his task, “It was now midnight, and my task was drawing to a close” (Poe 5). Suspense engages readers when reading “The Cask of Amontillado” because it continues to draw readers into the story until the end. It helps them stay concentrated on the story because they are sitting on the edge of their seats, waiting for the outcome of the story to be revealed. If Fortunado was killed immediately after Montessor stated his premeditation, the story wouldn’t be nearly as
This, among other factors, keeps the reader interested until the end to find out the answer to their question. The second aspect of this story that makes it engaging is the building of suspense leading up to Fortunado’s death. As the pair is heading to the catacombs at Montressor’s palazzo, the suspense begins to build, as exemplified here, “I passed down a long and winding staircase, requesting him to be cautious as he followed” (Poe 2), and climaxes here, when Montessor has almost completed his task, “It was now midnight, and my task was drawing to a close” (Poe 5). Suspense engages readers when reading “The Cask of Amontillado” because it continues to draw readers into the story until the end. It helps them stay concentrated on the story because they are sitting on the edge of their seats, waiting for the outcome of the story to be revealed. If Fortunado was killed immediately after Montessor stated his premeditation, the story wouldn’t be nearly as