In literature different authours tend to use various techniques in the stucturing of a plot.
Examples of this are " The Cast of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe and " Sonny's Blues" by
James Baldwin. The first piece of literature is more fast-paced and keeps the reader on their
toes but the other is slower because the reader is force to reflect on the character's past. While
Poe tells a story in the present tense and uses red herrings to promote suspense, Baldwin uses
flashbacks to promote depth of character .
In the " Cast of Amontillado" , Poes tells a story that is fast-paced through first person
narration. In the exposition, we are introduced to the conflict. The protaganist Montresor tells
the reader of " the thousand injuries of Fortunato" that he has borne but it is when the
antagonist Fortunado "ventured upon insult" that he vowed revenge. Montresor makes it clear
that not only must Fortunado be punished but he must " punished with impunity".
Throughout the rising action Montresor's plan becomes clear. He is aware of Fortunado's
weakness which is that he "prided himself upon his connoisseurship in wine". That is how he was
lured to Montresor's catacombs. Monstresor being aware of his weakness tricked him. He told
Fortunado that he had a pipe of what appeared to be Amontillado but he wasn't sure. So
Fortunado being the true wine connoisseur that he prided himself on being, insisted that they go
and check it out. While in the vaults of the catacombs, the reader becomes aware that the
murder is about to take place. Poe then throws in the first red herring when Montresor tells
Fortunado that " we will go back". The reader then becomes confused. Was Montresor changing
his mind about punishing Fortunado or was he toying with him? It isn't until Montresor chains him
to the wall that he was going to be avenged. He then began to lay the t
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