The Black Cat

Fiction Fundamentals, More Than Meets the Eye The fundamental elements of short stories essentially hold the key to its success. For most, it is the plot, with its cunning twist and turns, to hold the reader in suspense. For Edgar Allen Poe, it is the exact opposite. He uses the narrator’s inner turmoil and unruly state of mind to keep the reader’s attention; much like a spider’s web would do to keep …

…elements. Through the use of dramatic irony, the audience is able to see the narrator develop from the beginning to the end. Often, the reader gets caught up in the plot and the rising action, however, it is the more subtle, but prominent elements that keep the audience in tact and in focus. Perhaps the moral of this essay is to not underestimate the quiet ones; they always have the most important things to say.