The Power Of Human Nature In Poe's Poe

The base of human nature is to find the limit of what is socially and morally acceptable. When this line in the sand of what is acceptable and what is not is known a person can do one of three things: accept the line as it is, challenge the validity of the line, or understand why the line is there yet still think of a way to cross the line without punishment. The power of human nature to destroy stems from the last of these but only in certain cases. If this was a passing thought, then it isn 't necessarily destructive. On the other hand, when obsessing about the idea of crossing the line that you know is morally sound and yet try to avoid the punishment dictated by society to the point of only being freed of the thought by doing the

However, when police show up to investigate the scream that they heard, the narrator hears the old man 's heart beating louder and louder. The narrator realizes that he had no real reason to kill the old man which he had considered to be his friend and can 't deal with the fact. Then the narrator tells the police about what he is done. This example is of obsession being directly applied to the power of human nature to destroy but it isn 't always this straightforward.

Another example of the power of human nature to destroy can be seen in Poe 's “The Cask of Amontillado” as first printed in Godey’s Magazine and Lady’s Book. (714) in this story Montresor doesn’t obsess about killing directly but on seeking revenge on Fortunato for actions that aren’t clearly stated. The only thing that the story says is “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best I could, but when he ventured to insult I vowed revenge. …At length I would be avenged…” He then says that he “… must not only punish but punish with impunity.” This is the exact stem of human nature power to destroy. He then links his obsession about the concept of revenge to the concept of crossing the line and getting away with it. Montresor lets