Amontillado

Out of all the stories that caught my attention the most this week, it would have to be The Cask of Amontillado. Its a suspense story, and for a short story to consist of only 5 or so pages, its as if it drags on for a good 30 or 40. The way the narrator describes the story brings up a discussion we had in class referring to a misleading narrator. As if he is talking to me personally, one of the first sentences that he says is, "You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat." He paints a picture in my head, making it seem as if I've grown up with this man from youth. Towards the middle of the story, I had a totally different perspective of how the narrator really was. At one point it seems as if he is sincerely concerned about the well-being of Fortunato, "Come, we will go back; your health is precious. You are rich, respected, admired, beloved." As I found out later in the story, the narrator was very knowledgeable of his yearning for Amontillado, and just knew that he couldn't pass up to taste some. Many ironic things were occurring, but the one that I liked was when they passed under the sign that read, "Nemo me impune lacessit", which really meant, "No one may insult me, without being punished." Fortunato had no clue of what that meant, and would later, sadly find out what it entitled.