Question

The black cat; the narrator tells us that he never had any troubles until he began drinking alcohol,yet there is evidence in the story that alcohol isn’t the only thing to blame for his sociopathic actions. Describe other things we learn about the author that likely contributed to his slide into violence and insanity

Answer 1

Well, alcohol can cause certain insanity to happen.  Another could be his past returning to haunt him from his past actions, whatever they may be.

Answer 2

Answer:

Besides alcohol abuse, the narrator in Poe’s ‘the black cat’ seems to have been taken to insanity and violence because of 1. Ruin and 2. Remorse. After murdering his first cat, he lost all his wealth and became ill and despaired: ‘My entire worldly wealth was swallowed up and I resigned myself thenceforward to despair’. Later, there is evidence in the text of him feeling regretful over his erratic behavior towards his pet: ‘for months I could not rid myself of the phantasm of the cat: and, during this period, there came back to my spirit a half- sentiment that seemed, but was not, remorse’.