why did i choose these?

 

 

As this blog comes to its conclusion, you may wonder why I have chosen the quotes I did. Well, dear reader, I shall explain.  All of the quotes I chose had to do with one common theme, madness and insanity. This theme interests me for a variety of reasons, but the main one being how quickly a person can change, and how powerful the mind truly is. The unanswered question left at the end of the story is always the same “is the narrator mad? Did all this happen, or was it some delusion in his mind?” I hope these quotes have interested you as much as I have enjoyed them. Thank you for reading.

the evil within--the black cat

 “Beneath the pressure of torments such as these the feeble remnant of the good within me succumbed. Evil thoughts became my sole intimates- the darkest and most evil of thoughts.”
  

 

 

This quote really brings the reader into the narrators mind; he shows the reader how quickly he has changed- from loving animals and being a kind man, to being a cruel man who wants to kill the black cat. This quote is the moment that the reader sees that the narrator’s changed dramatically. The original perception of the narrator is now turned around, as the story continues from this moment, it shows how truly mad he is. Many questions that may never be answered are, ‘why is the cat affecting him so greatly?’ or ‘what caused him to change?’, these are questions I wonder myself.

 

 

 

the end of a generation--the fall of the house of usher

“-My brain reeled as I saw the mighty walls rushing asunder- there was a long tumultuous shouting sound like the voice of a thousand waters- and the deep and dank tarn at my feet closed sullenly and silently over the fragments of the house of usher.”

 

         
This quote is a favourite of mine from the fall of the house of usher. The thing I love most about it is the symbolism. It represents how as the house fell, the families bloodline died with it. It was also mentioned before that the house was old and falling apart, representing that the last of the usher family was old and frail. Aside from the symbolism, I also found it interesting that Roderick usher’s sister wanted to be taken down with him. I guess the family that lives together dies together.

 
  

guilt is a strong emotion--the tell-tale heart

"’Villains!’- I shrieked, ‘disassemble no more! I admit to the deed!-tear up the planks! - Here here! - it is the beating of his hideous heart!’”

 

 

 

This quote is a personal favourite of mine from the tell-tale heart. I think the thing I enjoy the most about this quote is that the reader finally gets to see what the guilt of killing the man has done to him- it’s caused him to go mad and admit to his crime. This quote also shows how powerful guilt can be to a person’s subconscious. It also proves that he was mentally unstable, since he was hearing a sound that didn’t exist. I’m guessing he is beginning to question whether or not he’s so clever now.

 

 

the tell-tale heart-- is he a mad man?

 

"But why will you say that i am mad? The disease had sharpened my senses-not destroyed-not dulled them."

this quote intrigues me, i think i like it so much because of the fact that it shows the narrators thinking. to him, being mad seems to have made him more aware, or so he says. in reality, he is trying to justify his reason for murder. the real question i suppose is;

Is he truly mad? or is that just the readers perception? 

many would believe that he is truly mad. however, according to the narrator, he is perfectly sane. another question that comes to mind is;

have his senses really sharpened? or is this just the narrators perception?