... in his use of characterization, setting and irony indicates Montresor's motive for revenge. Fortunato throws back a bottle of wine in a "gesticulation Montresor did not understand," a sign of the Masons, a secret society of which he affirms he is a member (212). This passage from the story represents the ... main conflict between the characters, and hints at the content of the rest of the story. Both men are proud, yet Fortunato is the more cocky and brash of the two. His nonchalant attitude as he essentially is led to his execution sharply ... are used to forever seal Fortunato's fat...

• Word Count: 1679
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... his personal responsibility, as a member of a prosperous family to protect them from insult and injury. As Patrick White writes, "To do justice to Montresor, we should understand that he is not an individual person seeking redress for personal insult or injury but, rather, an agent of retribution action on behalf of his family" (par.2). Montresor was so ... proud of his family that when Fortunato insulted them it drove him mad, to the point where he lost his mind and planned Fortunato's death. As proof of how much Montresor worships his family, Poe allows his character Montresor to say,...

• Word Count: 374
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: Undergraduate