The Theme Of Insanity In The Black Cat By Edgar Allan Poe

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The vast intricacies of the human brain are a wonder that few have managed to successfully explore throughout modern history. Brains are the controllers of all thoughts, actions, and ideas, but all are tremendously different in and of themselves. We, as humans, have the capacity to kill hundreds of other innocent creatures, however, most dread the mere thought of harming any living being. Our actions seemingly define how our minds work, allowing society to categorize us as the sane or the insane. Those who are considered sane are perceived as being and doing “normal” things, and those considered to be insane, just the opposite. But, with such vague interpretations of the mind, where is the fine line drawn between them? If insanity is not knowing the difference between right and wrong, then everyone must be slightly insane. However, many unmistakable traits of insanity are displayed in the story “The Black Cat” by Edgar Allan Poe. The narrator of “The Black Cat” is evidently insane, …show more content…

His insanity is characterized by his absence of all emotion and failure to accept any truths. Equivocal and self-contradicting accurately describe his demeanor on many occasions. He is also unable to process or acknowledge any reasonable emotions relative to the erratic actions he performs out of fleeting malice. Furthermore, he cannot accept the guilt that should come with such crimes and therefore feels the need to push it onto other innocent beings. These traits cause it to be undoubtable that the narrator of “The Black Cat” is truly insane. Although this is a fictional story, it surfaces many questions concerning insanity. Are people born insane or driven to the point of it? Is everyone a bit insane in their own way? Notwithstanding, discovering the answers to these questions may never occur because the intricacies of the human brain are far too vast to ever fully be

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