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  • Essay / A comparison between Edgar Allan Poe's The Black Cat and Stephen King's The Hellcat

    Depicted in the acclaimed short story "The Black Cat" (1843) by master of the macabre, Edgar Allan Poe and "The Cat from Hell” (1977) by contemporary horror genius Stephen King is a composition of suspense strategies that engender fear and curiosity that allow authors to manipulate their audience. Both articles were originally published in an American magazine, Poe's in an issue of the United States Saturday Post during Romanticism and King's in Post-Modernism Cavalier. However, although these stories appear to be largely similar in terms of feline vengeance, the application of the techniques in "The Black Cat" differs greatly from that of "The Cat from Hell" due to the contrasting journeys of the authors. and the respective period. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay To begin with, both tales incorporate an unusual situation in which a cat is “responsible” for the revenge. Both King and Poe favor descriptive language and personification to construct a visual image of his characters and further hint at his paranormal symbolism. An example would be the latter's account where the speaker accuses the cat of plotting murder against him, "The cat, -, almost [threw me] headlong." In King's article, the speaker uses descriptive language in “His face was divided equally: half black, half white. » In the context of his post-modernist period, this is a plausible reference to how the cat's appearance reflects the balance of the scales of justice. Another undeniable example of resemblance is that both stories feature an unusual character. Both stories use characterization to present an unreliable personality, developing a sense of uncertainty and confusion in the audience. Poe's speaker confesses how his attitude has completely worsened because of his alcohol addiction. In a 1977 publication (“Grappling with the Monster”), author TS Arthur explains how alcohol was considered anathema, preventing individuals from thinking lucidly in the mid-19th century. Likewise, King's Drogan, who views the cat as demonic, is also the head of the fictional world's largest pharmaceutical company. His company supplies Tri-Dormal-phenobarbine, which is said to contain “mild hallucinogens” and is “addictive.” This suggests that Drogan could have consumed his own possessions and therefore hallucinated the whole thing. Despite these obvious similarities, the two seemingly identical horror tales actually share a handful of crucial differences. . In “The Black Cat,” Poe uses little or no imagery to communicate the setting, except for its darkness. He is well aware that ambiguity can manipulate the public and make them uncomfortable when information is withheld. On the other hand, King largely integrates visual, tactile, and aural imagery using primarily descriptive language to construct a vivid illustration of a dark, abandoned setting. The contrast may be a consequence of their respective eras. Within the framework of Romanticism, Poe's stylistic choices include a less direct poetic imagination and romantic irony to remain prosaic. Post-modernist horror, in contrast, relies on graphic descriptions to compete with animation and films. Another difference present is the application of ironic devices. Although both tales convey situational irony, "The Black Cat" manifests a duality by harming the pet (Pluto) that the speaker once claimed to be his "pet..