Author Description

1. The Black Cat, an excerpt: On the eve of his death, an unnamed narrator opens the story, that he is sane. Years before, the narrator's character was honourable and he was well known and celebrated. He confesses a great love for cats and dogs, both of which, he says, respect the fidelity of friendship, unlike fellow men. The narrator marries at a young age and introduces his wife to the domestic joys of owning pets. Among birds, goldfish, a dog, rabbits, and a monkey, the narrator singles out a large and beautiful black cat, named Pluto, as his favorite.Though he loves Pluto, the narrator begins to suffer from violent mood swings, predominantly due to the influence of alcohol. He takes to mistreating the other animals. During this uncontrollable rage, he spares only Pluto. After returning home quite drunk one night, the narrator lashes out at Pluto. Believing the cat has avoided him, he vengefully grasps the cat, only to be bitten on the hand. In demonic retaliation, the narrator pulls a penknife from his pocket and cuts out one of the cat's eyes. Though the narrator wakes the next morning with a partial feeling of remorse, he is unable to change the new course of his black soul. Ignored for certain now by the wounded cat, he seeks further retaliation. He is overwhelmed by a spirit of PERVERSENESS, and sets out to commit wrong for the sake of wrong. He hangs Pluto from the limb of a tree one morning. 2. The Fall of the House of Usher, an excerpt: An unnamed narrator approaches the house of Usher on a "dull, dark, and soundless day." This house--the estate of his boyhood friend, Roderick Usher--is gloomy and mysterious. The narrator observes that the house seems to have absorbed an evil and diseased atmosphere from the decaying trees and murky ponds around it. He notes that although the house is decaying in places--individual stones are disintegrating, for example--the structure itself is fairly solid. There is only a small crack from the roof to the ground in the