Look closely at how Montresor leads Fortunato on. What is his technique? How does he coax Fortunato down the tunnels?

The Cask of Amontillado

The best deception, any good con-man will tell you, is self-deception. And “The Cask of Amontillado” is a masterclass in how to lead someone down the wrong alley – without ever telling an actual lie.

Discussion:

1. Poe was a terrific master of the gothic – dark, mysterious, brooding. Pick out two or three small details here that convey the atmosphere of the story: some visual, or a movement, or a moment.

2. Look closely at how Montresor leads Fortunato on. What is his technique? How does he coax Fortunato down the tunnels?

3. At the end of the story, we find out that these events took place fifty years prior to the telling. What do you make of this? What light does it shed on Montresor?

English