One of Poe's talents in writing is his ability to present his readers with a setting that will provide more substance to the story. His literary works mainly gothic, there is a need for the appearance of castles, dungeons, cellars, a dark spooky night and of course the presence of a creepy place where a character has to die.
             A story where this type of setting can be found is "The Cask of Amontillado". The story takes place in the old continent: in the country of Italy. The majority of Poe's readers were American; presenting them with a story in Italy, a location far away from Poe's readers knowledge, a place that many had never placed foot upon, is a strategy for creating interest in reading and setting the mood for the phantasmagoric story. A person always fears what us unknown to them.
             As it is common in Poe's works the assassination or the death of a character is always present. In "The Cask of Amontillao" the reader gets to presence the assassination of Fortunato: a night in which a festival carries on...a night where all were in disguise and did not expect someone to die. Poe describes the night of the festival with torches, laughter of people, and costumes to decorate the gloomy setting. The festivity does not deceive the reader and the reader can feel the way in which the night overtakes Montresor's mind in order to fulfill his evil scheme against Fortunato.
             After Montresor obtained from Fortunato to follow him, the characters arrive to a different setting, where no torches, disguises or laughter can be found. A more unappealing setting: Montresor's vaults. The vaults were located during those times under the houses. The purpose of them was to keep the remains of the deceased family members.
             Montresor's vaults are described as "damp [and] encrusted with nitrate." Dampness can only be found where the rays of the sun do not even dare on entering, in th...