Detective Stories by Conan Doyle and Poe - Essay Example

I also found the writer's delineation of the features of the characters, very interesting. To begin with, I believed that the interaction between Kennedy and Burger bordered on the good-natured bantering between two friends. To me, the two friends’ journey to the new catacomb appeared to be a simple adventure. However, as the two descended into the catacomb, the details inside the catacomb, with its hidden mazes, stacked corpses, and the surrounding darkness started to take hold over me and I began to develop the premonition that something eerie is going to take place. Then the climax came with all its hidden wrath and vengeance. I was surprised and in fact, awed to realize that the emotion of hurt and revenge could turn into something so treacherous and at the same time so just. The end filled me with a feeling of fear. But, deep down within me, I was to some extent satisfied that the treatment met to Kennedy by Roger was fair and well deserved, though grotesque. Overall, I found the pace of the narrative, very disciplined, terse, and exciting.

2. Edgar Allan Poe, The Cask of Amontillado

     While reading this story I felt that the writer left many facts and details unanswered. For example, he fails to mention the time and place in which the story takes place? One of the characters is shown as being Italian and fond of Italian wines. Yet, it in no way supports the conclusion that the locale of the narrative is Italy. Besides, the writer makes one of the characters narrate the story. Yet, the narrator fails to specifically mention his reasons for inflicting such cruel revenge on Fortunato. This makes me guess that either Fortunato had committed some grave injustice to the narrator, or perhaps the narrator is mentally sick or psychotic. One more thing that I found inappropriate is that the writer conveys at the very beginning that Montresor intends to inflict revenge on Fortunato. This stole a great deal of the suspense and apprehension, which I usually expect from such a thriller. The narrator’s understanding of human nature and weaknesses was very realistic. Overall, I feel that the writer does succeed in creating an atmosphere of pestilence, morbidity, and revulsion; by the way, he delineated the setting. The vaults with their piles of bones and wines, the overhanging dampness, and the flaky niter do accentuate the treachery of Montresor and the reader’s sympathy for the imminent doom of his unsuspecting victim. To me, this tale of revenge seemed to be mean, cold-blooded, and to a great extent futile. I strongly felt that the climax was least accompanied by any feeling of release of augmenting emotions. Truly speaking, I found this story to be bland and devoid of any suspense.