A Man of Multiple Personalities

“The fury of a demon instantly possessed me. I knew myself no longer. My original soul seemed, at once, to take its flight from my body; and a more than fiendish malevolence, gin nurtured, thrilled every fibre of my frame.” (13)-The Black Cat

I find this quotation especially significant in the story “The Black Cat” because it allows the reader to understand the extent of the madness. Poe was able to reveal an image of a mad man who blames alcohol and possession of the devil for his moral decline; the expressions and behavior of the narrator lead you questioning not only every move he makes but his reasoning behind those actions. The mood of the story is also brought out through his spontaneous and malevolence thinking, calmly he addresses the diversity of his personality and how he became enveloped with anger. This gothic darkness adds to the dramatic turn of events that follow due to the mindset of the narrator.