美国文学 the black cat
从各个角度分析的爱伦坡的黑猫
黑猫写的是一个人由于酗酒从善良变得暴躁，将他原本珍爱的黑猫普路托剜去了眼睛，黑猫从此对他敬而远之，在这里爱伦·坡有一段话是这样的：“我毕竟天良未泯，因此最初看见过去如此热爱我的畜生竟这样嫌恶我，不免感到伤心。
但是这股伤心之感一下子就变为恼怒了。
到后来，那股邪念又上升了，终于害得我一发不可收拾。
关于这种邪念，哲学上并没有重视。
不过我深信不疑，这种邪念是人心本能的一股冲动，是一种微乎其微的原始功能，或者说是情绪，人类性格就由它来决定。
谁没有在无意中多次干下坏事或蠢事呢？而且这样干时无缘无故，心里明知干不得而偏要干。
哪怕我们明知这样干犯法，我们不是还会无视自己看到的后果，有股拼命想去以身试法的邪念吗？”然后，此人将黑猫吊死在树枝上，当晚，这人家里起火，烧得家财散尽，只有一面白墙壁不倒，上面有一层浅浮雕，赫然是一只猫，脖子上还挂着绳索。
他虽然用科学向自己解释了一通，但还是心存害怕，后来又从酒吧带回了一只与普路托相似的猫，这猫被带回家的第二天就不知被谁剜掉了一只眼睛，这使得他对这猫又深恶痛绝又害怕。
一天他失手杀死了自己的妻子，然后想出了一个绝妙的隐藏尸体的方法——把尸体砌进墙壁。
之后他发现黑猫竟同时不见了，心里充满了恐惧，在警察搜查他的家时，墙壁里发出了猫叫，原来他在慌乱中将猫与尸体一起砌进了墙壁。
之所以如此详细地讲述情节是因为这篇小说写出了一连贯的潜意识，由于酗酒而暴躁，由暴躁而愧疚，由愧疚而恼怒，由恼怒而恶向胆边生，而后又由于愧疚而恐惧，由于恐惧而又暴躁，总之心理描写层层推进，丝丝入扣。
犯罪冲动型小说黑猫The Black Cat：男人虐猫后的心路历程。
埃德加·爱伦·坡189-1849是美国著名的短篇小说家、诗人、评论家和散文家。
他一生共创作了六七十部优秀的短篇小说被文学界誉为美国“短篇小说之父”在美国文学史上占有不可替代的重要地位。
爱伦·坡短篇小说批判继承了哥特式小说的要素并在承袭的基础上成功地将哥特式小说中由外部气氛引起的感官恐怖向内转创造出一种全新的恐怖———心灵的恐怖提升了恐怖的审美价值。
美国各文学时期重要作家及其主要作品
美国各文学时期重要作家及其主要作品美国文学的发展历史虽然只有200多年，但是它在这段时间里所取得的成就却是十分辉煌的。
美国文学业已形成的民族性、时代性和社会性，使它成为世界文学的重要组成部分。
美国文学的发展和美国历史的发展几乎是平行的。
美国殖民主义时期三个代表诗人1.安妮·布雷兹特里特Anne Bradstreet （1612-1672）美国第一位作品得以发表的女诗人。
她出生于英格兰，1630年时随父亲和丈夫来到北美马萨诸塞湾殖民地。
诗的风格与同时代的英国诗人John Donne、Edward Taylor有相似之处。
她最著名的诗集是《第十位缪斯》(The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung up in America,1650)，这也是她生前出版的唯一诗集。
一般认为，她最优秀的诗作，主要收录于她去世后由罗杰斯选编的《布雷兹特里特诗集》(Several Poems 1678)。
《写在我家失火之际》On the Burning of Our House）反映出殖民时期生活的侧面，《灵与肉》（The Flesh and the Spirit）向读者展示了作为一名虔诚的清教徒，在面临新大陆恶劣的生存环境时，诗人内心深处肉体与灵魂、世俗与信仰之间的斗争。
2.爱德华·泰勒(Edward Taylor，1644?-1729年)美国清教派牧师和诗人。
他被公认为美国19世纪前最重要的诗人。
在他有生之年仅发表过两首诗歌，直到1937年人们研究他的手稿时才认识到他那虔诚的诗歌的优美绝伦。
像约翰·多恩和乔治·赫伯特以及其他英国玄学派诗人一样，泰勒擅长运用精心选择的暗喻和丰富而唯美的比喻，也采用日常生活中的寻常措辞和比喻。
《爱德华·泰勒诗集》(1939年)收录了他的杰作，包括写于约1685年的《上帝对其选民有影响的决定》，和写于1682-1726年的《内省录》（Preparatory Meditation）中的部分。
the black cat 读后感英文
the black cat 读后感英文（中英文版）After immersing myself in the chilling narrative of "The Black Cat" by Edgar Allan Poe, I was struck by the profound darkness and psychological depth that permeate the tale.The story, laced with a sense of guilt and horror, left an indelible mark on my mind, prompting me to reflect on the intricate relationship between man"s actions and their consequences.在阅读爱伦坡的《黑猫》这部充满寒意的小说后，我被其中深邃的黑暗和心理深度深深吸引。
这个故事，交织着罪恶感和恐怖气息，给我的心灵留下了难以磨灭的印记，促使我思考人类行为与其后果之间错综复杂的关系。
The protagonist"s descent into madness is a testament to the corrupting influence of guilt.Poe"s vivid descriptions of the cat"s eyes, glinting with a malevolent shine, serve as a mirror to the inner turmoil of the protagonist.It"s a harrowing exploration of how the mind can become a prisoner of its own making.主人公走向疯狂的历程，证明了罪恶感的腐蚀性影响。
the black cat英语读后感
Reflections on "The Black Cat""The Black Cat" by Edgar Allan Poe is a tale of guilt, madness, and the supernatural. It weaves a nightmarish narrative around a man's relationship with his pet, a black cat, and the series of tragic events that follow his ill-fated decisions.The story that resonated most with me was the moment when the protagonist, in a fit of rage, blinded the cat. This act of violence, driven by his own insanity and paranoia, highlights the destructive nature of unchecked anger and the consequences of abusing those we love. It reminded me of the importance of controlling my emotions and treating others, especially those closest to me, with kindness and patience.Reading "The Black Cat" was an emotionally charged experience. It left me feeling unsettled, yet fascinated by Poe's mastery of psychological terror. The story forced me to reflect on my own behavior and the choices I make when faced with adversity. It taught me the value of empathy and compassion, warning me of the consequences of ignoring my own darkness.As a young reader, "The Black Cat" has had a profound impact on my thinking and values. It reminds me that every action has consequences and that it is crucial to be mindful of my actions and their potential to harm others. Poe's storytelling has taught me to embrace the complexity of human nature and to question the narratives we are told, seeking truth and understanding beyond the surface.In conclusion, "The Black Cat" is a literary masterpiece that captures the essence of human psychosis and the horror that lies within. Poe's talent for evoking both fear and curiosity in his readers is unparalleled. This story has left me with a deeper understanding of the darker sides of humanity and a renewed commitment totreat others with kindness and respect.。
the black cat读后感
the black cat读后感爱伦·坡的就像一场奇异的噩梦，让我在阅读的过程中，心一直被揪着，仿佛被一只无形的手拽进了那个充满诡异和惊悚的世界。
故事里的主人公原本是个善良、喜爱动物的人，家里养着好多宠物，其中那只黑猫“普路托”最得他的欢心。
这黑猫又大又漂亮，聪明伶俐，跟主人亲昵得不得了。
主人公走到哪儿，它就跟到哪儿，要么在脚边蹭来蹭去，要么跳上他的膝盖撒娇。
可后来，主人公染上了酗酒的恶习，脾气变得越来越暴躁，对身边的一切都失去了耐心，包括他曾经心爱的黑猫。
有一天晚上，他醉醺醺地回到家，黑猫不小心挡了他的路，他竟然怒火中烧，拿起一把斧子就砍向了黑猫。
可怜的黑猫，一只眼睛就这样被他弄瞎了。
从那以后，黑猫看见他就躲得远远的，眼神里充满了恐惧和哀怨。
但主人公并没有因此而感到愧疚，反而觉得黑猫的存在让他心烦意乱。
不久之后，家里又出现了一只跟普路托长得几乎一模一样的黑猫，只是胸口多了块白色的斑纹。
奇怪的是，这只新黑猫对主人公似乎并不害怕，反而总是在他面前晃悠。
主人公心里莫名地升起一股厌恶，总觉得这只猫是来报复他的。
一天，他带着黑猫去地下室干活。
黑猫不知怎么的，一直紧紧地跟着他，还差点把他绊倒。
主人公的怒火瞬间被点燃，他想抓住黑猫，把它绑在墙上惩罚一下。
可没想到，黑猫在挣扎的时候，竟然咬了他一口。
这下可好，主人公彻底失去了理智，他拿起一把刀，狠狠地刺向了黑猫的脖子。
黑猫挣扎了几下，就没了动静。
主人公把黑猫的尸体砌进了墙里。
可没过多久，他的家里就发生了一系列离奇的事情。
先是他在睡觉的时候，总觉得有什么东西在挠墙。
接着，他在房子里经常听到诡异的叫声。
更可怕的是，有一天晚上，他家突然着火了，虽然火被扑灭了，但墙上却出现了一个黑猫的形状。
主人公的内心充满了恐惧和不安，他觉得自己被黑猫的鬼魂缠上了。
最终，他在警察的盘问下，精神崩溃，坦白了自己的罪行。
读完这个故事，我心里有种说不出的滋味。
主人公从一个善良的人变成了一个残忍的凶手，这一切都是因为酒精的侵蚀和他无法控制自己的情绪。
The Black Cat 爱伦坡
Illustration for "The Black Cat" by Aubrey Beardsley
At an early age the narrator has loved animals. He and his wife have many pets, including a large, beautiful black named Pluto. Unluckily, the narrator becomes an alcoholic. One night, he gouges out the cat's eye. And later the cat is hanged. Some time later, the narrator takes a similar cat home. However, he hurts the cat again and kills his wife in a quarral. To conceal her body he removes bricks from a protrusion in the wall, places her body there, and repairs the hole. Until a loud inhuman wailing sound fills the room, the narrator is arrested.
Diverse word choice
1. Expressions such as “apparition,” “vile haunts,” and “fiendish malevolence” were added for atmosphere.
2. Another way that Poe used word choice was with synonyms. The cat was not only the “black cat,” it was the “playmate,” the “beast,” the “brute,” the “apparition,” and the “monster.”
The Black Cat 原典阅读
The Black CatEdgar Allan Poe 1FOR the most wild, yet most homely narrative which I am about to pen, I neither expect nor solicit belief. Mad indeed would I be to expect it, in a case where my very senses reject their own evidence. Yet, mad am I not -- and very surely do I not dream. But to-morrow I die, and to-day I would unburthen my soul. My immediate purpose is to place before the world, plainly, succinctly, and without comment, a series of mere household events. In their consequences, these events have terrified -- have tortured -- have destroyed me. Yet I will not attempt to expound them. To me, they have presented little but Horror -- to many they will seem less terrible than barroques. Hereafter, perhaps, some intellect may be found which will reduce my phantasm to the common-place -- some intellect more calm, more logical, and far less excitable than my own, which will perceive, in the circumstances I detail with awe, nothing more than an ordinary succession of very natural causes and effects.2From my infancy I was noted for the docility and humanity of my disposition. My tenderness of heart was even so conspicuous as to make me the jest of my companions. I was especially fond of animals, and was indulged by my parents with a great variety of pets. With these I spent most of my time, and never was so happy as when feeding and caressing them. This peculiarity of character grew with my growth, and, in my manhood, I derived from it one of my principal sources of pleasure. To those who have cherished an affection for a faithful and sagacious dog, I need hardly be at the trouble of explaining the nature or the intensity of the gratification thus derivable. There is something in the unselfish and self-黑猫埃德加·爱伦·坡homely adj.平凡的；朴素的unburthen vt. 使……安生succinctly adv.简洁地expound vt.解释；阐述baroque n.巴洛克作品，这里指「奇谈」phantasm n.幻象；幻觉succession n.继承顺序，自然演替docility n.温驯humanity n.仁爱；人道disposition n.性情；性格；气质conspicuous adj.显眼的jest n.笑话；笑柄caress vt.爱抚；抚摸sagacious adj.聪明的；精明的gratification n.满足；满意derivable adj.可引出的；可诱导的- 1 -sacrificing love of a brute, which goes directly to the heart of him who has had frequent occasion to test the paltry friendship and gossamer fidelity of mere Man.3I married early, and was happy to find in my wife a disposition not uncongenial with my own. Observing my partiality for domestic pets, she lost no opportunity of procuring those of the most agreeable kind. We had birds, gold-fish, a fine dog, rabbits, a small monkey, and a cat.4This latter was a remarkably large and beautiful animal, entirely black, and sagacious to an astonishing degree. In speaking of his intelligence, my wife, who at heart was not a little tinctured with superstition, made frequent allusion to the ancient popular notion, which regarded all black cats as witches in disguise. Not that she was ever serious upon this point -- and I mention the matter at all for no better reason than that it happens, just now, to be remembered.5Pluto -- this was the cat's name -- was my favorite pet and playmate. I alone fed him, and he attended me wherever I went about the house. It was even with difficulty that I could prevent him from following me through the streets.6Our friendship lasted, in this manner, for several years, during which my general temperament and character -- through the instrumentality of the Fiend Intemperance -- had (I blush to confess it) experienced a radical alteration for the worse. I grew, day by day, more moody, more irritable, more regardless of the feelings of others. I suffered myself to use intemperate language to my wife. At length, I even offered her personal violence. My pets, of course, were made to feel the change in my disposition. I not only neglected, but ill-used them. For Pluto, however, I still retained sufficient regard to paltry n.微不足道的；毫无价值的gossamer adj.轻而薄的；虚无飘渺的uncongenial adj.志趣不相投的tincture vt. 使……染上颜色allusion n. 影射；暗指attend vt.陪伴；伴随the Fiend Intemperance 恶魔的放纵moody adj.喜怒无常的；情绪多变的irritable adj.易怒的；急躁的intemperate adj.无节制的；放纵的- 2 -restrain me from maltreating him, as I made no scruple of maltreating the rabbits, the monkey, or even the dog, when by accident, or through affection, they came in my way. But my disease grew upon me -- for what disease is like Alcohol! -- and at length even Pluto, who was now becoming old, and consequently somewhat peevish -- even Pluto began to experience the effects of my ill temper. 7One night, returning home, much intoxicated, from one of my haunts about town, I fancied that the cat avoided my presence. I seized him; when, in his fright at my violence, he inflicted a slight wound upon my hand with his teeth. The fury of a demon instantly possessed me. I knew myself no longer. My original soul seemed, at once, to take its flight from my body; and a more than fiendish malevolence, gin-nurtured, thrilled every fibre of my frame. I took from my waistcoat-pocket a pen-knife, opened it, grasped the poor beast by the throat, and deliberately cut one of its eyes from the socket! I blush, I burn, I shudder, while I pen the damnable atrocity. 8When reason returned with the morning -- when I had slept off the fumes of the night's debauch -- I experienced a sentiment half of horror, half of remorse, for the crime of which I had been guilty; but it was, at best, a feeble and equivocal feeling, and the soul remained untouched. I again plunged into excess, and soon drowned in wine all memory of the deed.9In the meantime the cat slowly recovered. The socket of the lost eye presented, it is true, a frightful appearance, but he no longer appeared to suffer any pain. He went about the house as usual, but, as might be expected, fled in extreme terror at my approach. I had so much of my old heart left, as to be at first grieved by this evident dislike on the part of a creature which had once so loved me. But this feeling soon gave place to irritation. And then came, as if to my final maltreat vt.虐待scruple n. 顾忌；良心上的不安Pluto这个名字有什么含义？peevish adj.脾气坏的intoxicated adj. 醉醺醺的fury n.狂怒；暴怒demon n.恶魔malevolence n.恶意gin-nurtured adj.酒性大发的thrill vt.使……激动damnable adj.极坏的atrocity n.暴行；凶残fume n.愤怒；烦恼debauch n.放纵，这里意为「罪孽」sentiment n.情绪；多愁善感remorse adj. 悔恨；自责feeble adj.虚弱的；衰弱的equivocal adj.模糊的grieve vt.使……伤心- 3 -and irrevocable overthrow, the spirit of PERVERSENESS. Of this spirit philosophy takes no account. Yet I am not more sure that my soul lives, than I am that perverseness is one of the primitive impulses of the human heart -- one of the indivisible primary faculties, or sentiments, which give direction to the character of Man. Who has not, a hundred times, found himself committing a vile or a silly action, for no other reason than because he knows he should not? Have we not a perpetual inclination, in the teeth of our best judgment, to violate that which is Law, merely because we understand it to be such? This spirit of perverseness, I say, came to my final overthrow. It was this unfathomable longing of the soul to vex itself -- to offer violence to its own nature -- to do wrong for the wrong's sake only -- that urged me to continue and finally to consummate the injury I had inflicted upon the unoffending brute. One morning, in cool blood, I slipped a noose about its neck and hung it to the limb of a tree; -- hung it with the tears streaming from my eyes, and with the bitterest remorse at my heart; -- hung it because I knew that it had loved me, and because I felt it had given me no reason of offence; -- hung it because I knew that in so doing I was committing a sin -- a deadly sin that would so jeopardize my immortal soul as to place it -- if such a thing were possible -- even beyond the reach of the infinite mercy of the Most Merciful and Most Terrible God.10On the night of the day on which this cruel deed was done, I was aroused from sleep by the cry of fire. The curtains of my bed were in flames. The whole house was blazing. It was with great difficulty that my wife, a servant, and myself, made our escape from the conflagration. The destruction was complete. My entire worldly wealth was swallowed up, and I resigned myself thenceforward to irrevocable adj. 不可改变的；不能挽回的overthrow n.征服；打倒perverseness n. 邪恶vile adj.恶劣的，这里活用作名词「恶事」perpetual adj.永恒的；永久性inclination n. 倾向；爱好unfathomable adj.高深莫测的，难以了解的vex vt. 使……烦恼；使……苦恼consummate vt.使……完成noose n. 套索jeopardize vt.危机；损害conflagration n.大火resign oneself to 听从；顺从thenceforward adv.从那以后- 4 -- 5 -despair.11 I am above the weakness of seeking to establish a sequence ofcause and effect, between the disaster and the atrocity. But I am detailing a chain of facts -- and wish not to leave even a possible link imperfect. On the day succeeding the fire, I visited the ruins. The walls, with one exception, had fallen in. This exception was found in a compartment wall, not very thick, which stood about the middle of the house, and against which had rested the head of my bed. The plastering had here, in great measure, resisted the action of the fire -- a fact which I attributed to its having been recently spread. About this wall a dense crowd were collected, and many persons seemed to be examining a particular portion of it with very minute and eager attention. The words "strange!" "singular!" and other similar expressions, excited my curiosity. I approached and saw, as if gravenin bas relief upon the white surface, the figure of a gigantic cat. The impression was given with an accuracy truly marvellous. There was a rope about the animal's neck. 12 When I first beheld this apparition -- for I could scarcely regardit as less -- my wonder and my terror were extreme. But at length reflection came to my aid. The cat, I remembered, had been hung ina garden adjacent to the house. Upon the alarm of fire, this garden had been immediately filled by the crowd -- by some one of whomthe animal must have been cut from the tree and thrown, through an open window, into my chamber. This had probably been done withthe view of arousing me from sleep. The falling of other walls had compressed the victim of my cruelty into the substance of thefreshly-spread plaster; the lime of which, with the flames, and the ammonia from the carcass , had then accomplished the portraiture asI saw it.plastering n. 石膏工艺grave vi. 雕刻bas relief 基线浮雕gigantic adj. 巨大的；庞大的behold vt. 看到；注释at length 终于adjacent adj. 相邻的；邻近的compress vt. 压缩；压紧ammonia n. 氨气carcass n. （动物的）尸体13Although I thus readily accounted to my reason, if not altogether to my conscience, for the startling fact just detailed, it did not the less fail to make a deep impression upon my fancy. For months I couldnot rid myself of the phantasm of the cat; and, during this period, there came back into my spirit a half-sentiment that seemed, but was not, remorse. I went so far as to regret the loss of the animal, and to look about me, among the vile haunts which I now habitually frequented, for another pet of the same species, and of somewhat similar appearance, with which to supply its place.14One night as I sat, half stupified, in a den of more than infamy, my attention was suddenly drawn to some black object, reposing upon the head of one of the immense hogsheads of Gin, or of Rum, which constituted the chief furniture of the apartment. I had been looking steadily at the top of this hogshead for some minutes, and what now caused me surprise was the fact that I had not sooner perceived the object thereupon. I approached it, and touched it with my hand. It was a black cat -- a very large one -- fully as large as Pluto, and closely resembling him in every respect but one. Pluto had not a white hair upon any portion of his body; but this cat had a large, although indefinite splotch of white, covering nearly the whole region of the breast.15Upon my touching him, he immediately arose, purred loudly, rubbed against my hand, and appeared delighted with my notice. This, then, was the very creature of which I was in search. I at once offered to purchase it of the landlord; but this person made no claim to it -- knew nothing of it -- had never seen it before.16I continued my caresses, and, when I prepared to go home, the animal evinced a disposition to accompany me. I permitted it to do rid oneself of 摆脱请仔细分析此处叙述者的心理活动和情感变化。
the black cat黑猫PPT课件
• (5) On October 7, 1849, at age 40, Poe died in Baltimore
2
Personal life
• (1) His childhood was a miserable one. He lost both of his parents when he was very young and then he was adopted by a wealthy merchant: John Allan. Poe’s relation with the Allans was unhappy.
• (2) He entered University of Virginia and then West Point but did not finish.
• (3) He worked as editor and writer most of his life and he was always poor.
5
Short Stories
1 MS. Found in a Bottle (1833)
《瓶中手稿》
2 Tales of the Grotesque and the Arabesque (1839) 《荒诞
奇异的故事》
3 The Murders in the Rueatures of his works
• a. Gothic elements (terror and romance) • b. Deep analysis of human psychology (He
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• The story is presented as a first-person narrative. He is a condemned man at the outset of the story. The narrator tells us that from an early age he has loved animals. He and his wife have many pets, including a large black cat named Pluto. This cat is especially fond of the narrator and vice versa.
Point, but provoked his own dismissal （ got himself expelled by missing classes ） Caused a final separation between himself and step-father
. . .continued In 1836 married his 13 -year -old cousin, Virginia
and his mother died later soon. adopted by Mr. and Mrs. John Allan constant disagreements with his step-father
. . .continued
Studied briefly at the versity
The Black Cat
• Questions to study: 1. Have you found any Gothic elements in this short story? 2. Why does Poe use the first person point of view?
3. What caused the drastic transformation of his temperament? 4. Both of the two cats miss one eye, why didn’t Poe mention if it is the same eye missing? 5. Why did he himself disclose the crime he has committed?
of Virginia • doing well in his studies, but Drinking and gambling difficulties(debts) kept him from continuing at UVA
. . .continued
Received an appointment to West
theme
• into the inner workings of the dark side of the mind.
Poe was famous for…
• Psychological fiction--He wanted to produce the greatest possible horrific effects on the reader.
• Their mutual friendship lasts for several years, until the narrator becomes an alcoholic. One night, after coming home intoxicated, he believes the cat is avoiding him. When he tries to seize it, the panicked cat bites the narrator, and in a fit of rage, he seizes the animal, pulls a penknife from his pocket, and deliberately gouges out the cat's eye.
• 在这个世界上，没有一个人，我再重复一遍， 从没有任何一个人能像他那样把人生的诸多 特点用如此神奇的方法表达出来。。。幻像 首先让人产生怀疑，紧接着如同一本书那样 逻辑和让人信服；疯狂在智慧中生根并且最 终用一种让人难以置信的逻辑统治它；空想 夺取了行动的位置，矛盾在神经和心灵中发 芽，人用笑声来表示自己的痛苦。他研究世 界上所有不可能的幻想，他创造时空的断层 并用他特有的细节性和科学性描述一个激动 的人如何利用幻想去做恶。
• "The Black Cat" first appeared in The Saturday Evening Post on August 19, 1843. This first-person narrative falls into the realm of Horror/Gothic Literature, and has been examined in association with themes of insanity and alcoholism.
. . . continued Lived in poverty-stricken conditions In 1846 his wife died after a long illness
. . . continued Died in Baltimore after having been found drunk Died a poor man
---查尔斯.波德莱 尔
The capacity for violence and horror lies within each of us, no matter how docile and humane our dispositions might appear. ---By Martha Womack
Edgar Allan Poe
1809-1849
His Family and Tragic Life
Born in Boston The son of traveling actors Tragic and unhappy life
Tragic and Unhappy Life
father deserted him at the age of two
• It is the same size and color as the original and is even missing an eye. The only difference is a large white patch on the animal's chest. The narrator takes it home, but soon begins to loathe, even fear the creature. After a time, the white patch of fur begins to take shape and, to the narrator, forms the shape of the gallows.
• A penknife, or pen knife, is a small folding pocket knife. The most famous example of a multi-function knife is the Swiss Army knife .
• From that moment onward, the cat flees in terror at his master's approach. At first, the narrator is remorseful and regrets his cruelty. "But this feeling soon gave place to irritation. And then came, as if to my final and irrevocable overthrow, the spirit of PERVERSENESS." He takes the cat out in the garden one morning and hangs it from a tree, where it dies.
• At first, this image terrifies the narrator, but gradually he determines a logical explanation for it, that someone outside had thrown the dead cat into the bedroom to wake him up during the fire, and begins to miss Pluto. Some time later, he finds a similar cat in a tavern.
• A gallows is a frame, typically wooden, used for execution by hanging
• Then, one day when the narrator and his wife are visiting the cellar in their new home, the cat gets under its master's feet and nearly trips him down the stairs. In a fury, the man grabs an axe and tries to kill the cat but is stopped by his wife. Enraged, he kills her with the axe instead. To conceal her body he removes bricks from a protrusion in the wall, places her body there, and repairs the hole. When the police came to investigate, they find nothing and the narrator goes free. The cat, which he intended to kill as well, has gone missing.