The Black Cat Worksheet

In your group, respond to the following guiding questions. The questions will build on each other
until a final prompt for you to respond to on your on. The questions will encourage you to think
about: 1. Point of View, 2. Characterization, 3. Symbolism, 4. Plot, and 5. Tone
1. Point of View
What are the benefits of a story written in first person P.O.V.? What are the limitations?
Benefits (+)
What do you know?

Limitations (-)
What dont you know?

Write one of the options below into a different point of view: Second Person Point of
View (perspective of "you") or Third Person Point of View (when your narrator is not a
character in the story, uses the "he/she/it")
Option 1: Pluto the cat What would the cat say about his relationship with the narrator?
What really happened the night his owner cut out his eye?
Option 2: The wife What would she say about her husband? What would she say about
his drinking problem? How do you think she felt after her husband cut out Plutos eye?

An unreliable narrator is a narrator whose credibility has been seriously compromised.

You are not going to believe this story, but it is a true story Is this a good way to start
a story that is difficult to believe? Does it make the story more or less interesting?

2. Characterization
In what way (or ways) does Poe give the reader information about the main character, our
narrator? Provide a few examples.

What is the narrators weakness? Who suffers because of it?

How would YOU describe the narrator?

3. Symbolism
Do you think the narrator is imagining the intention behind the new cats actions? Study
the following excerpt.
It followed my footsteps with pertinacity which would be difficult to make the reader
comprehend. Whenever I sat, it would, it would crouch beneath my chair, or spring upon my
knees. Covering me with its loathsome caresses. If I arose to walk, it would get between my
feet and thus nearly throw me down, or, fastening its long and sharp claws in my dress,
clamber, in this manner to my breast.

After rereading this section of The Black Cat, what do you think the cat(s) could be a
symbol of in the story? Defend your answer with a couple reasons or textual evidence.

4. Plot
Poe builds up suspense in the plot of the The Black Cat. Suspense is: anxiety or
apprehension resulting from an uncertain, undecided, or mysterious situation. He uses the
following elements to create suspense in The Black Cat: (1) Pacing: advancing or
developing something at a particular rate or tempo; (2) Dangerous action; (3)
Foreshadowing: the author gives clues as to what will happen later.

Directions: Find three examples of suspense in The Black Cat and for each elements of
suspense: pacing, dangerous action or foreshadowing. Explain why it fits in that column.
Example of
Pacing
Dangerous
Foreshadowing
Suspense
Action
The Black Cat
begins with the
narrator sitting in a
cell talking about
how he is about to
be executed.

_________

_________

Im giddy with
anticipation,
wanting to know
exactly what the
narrator did to end
up in this
predicament.

Considering the events from the chart above, complete the plot map below for The Black
Cat.

5. Tone: Take a story's temperature by studying its tone.

1. Urgent, 2. Ashamed, 3. Anguished, 4. Dramatic, 5. Flashy, 6. Mocking
Directions: Of the six options listed above, pick the one that you all think best
exemplifies the tone of The Black Cat. You will need to skim the story, most likely.
Defend your answer with three reasons or quotes from the text.

Last step: On your own, so on your own sheet of paper, respond to this prompt in few
sentences:
The story suggests that the imagination is capable of producing false perceptions of reality. Do
agree with this suggestion? Why or why not?