Characterization is a
popular literary element that authors use to show the common gestures, actions
and personality traits of characters in their writing. Edgar Allen Poe and Ernest Hemingway both use
other formal elements to help develop such characterization in their stories.
In "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allen Poe, and “A Clean,
Well-Lighted Place” by Ernest Hemingway both authors use irony, setting, and
point of view to all create better characterization in their stories.
Poe uses many examples of irony in "The Cask of
Amontillado" to help form characterization in his writing. The name
Fortunado can be viewed as someone fortunate, or someone who has wealth, and it
is soon discovered that Fortunados fate is not “fortunate”. Another example of
dramatic irony shown by Poe is how Fortunado states that a cough will not kill
him, "Enough, the cough is a mere nothing; it will not kill me. I shall
not die of a cough."(Poe 6) As a
reader, it is understood that although his cold may not kill him that something
else will. This irony used by Poe helps give the reader more insight about the
character and can also foreshadow their actions. Ernest Hemingway also uses
irony to characterize in “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place”. A clear example of
irony used is the fact that both the old man and the "older" waiter
prefer to stay out late while the young man in the story prefers to go home
early. This shows how although typically a younger man would enjoy staying out
later a lonely old man would rather stay at the bar with no friends then to
leave and be on his own.
The setting of "The Cask of Amontillado" is
used by Poe to help form the demeanor of his characters. Showing where their
actions are being held help to understand more about the characters. Fortunado
is originally found during the carnival season wearing cloths similar to a
jester. You can infer from this how Fortunado is a quite foolish character and
may be gullible to others. The rest of the story takes place in the cold, dark
and musty catacombs of the Montresors. This
setting draws to conclusions that Montressor is a dark and shady person with no
good in mind. The dark and damp setting of the catacombs also ties very well
with the conclusion of the story as Montressor has taken Fortunado to this
unpleasant place as his death bed. Setting is also used to create better
characterization for Ernest Hemingway as well. Taking place very late at night
in a café with not a soul left besides the waiters helps to grasp the
loneliness of the man still drinking alone. This setting truly makes the reader
realize how this man has nothing else going for him in his life.
Another important literary element used to build
characterization is the point of view. This is important when creating a
character because the narrator’s point of view plays a large role with what we
know about a specific character and how we feel about them. This is important
in "The Cask of Amontillado" because with Montresor as the narrator
we may assume although we never know what Fortunado did so badly to deserve a
sentence of death. This shows how Montresor is a shady person to trick
Fortunado to his death while acting as a friend. Point of view also plays a large
role in “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” as it does not tell you what hardships
the old man may be facing in his life in which he does not want to leave the
café.
No comments:
Post a Comment