The Black Cat

In literature, irony is a tremendously important facet of fictional work. Irony involves a contrast or discrepancy between one thing and another. The contrast may be between what is said and what is meant or between what happens and what is meant to happen. In Edgar Allan Poe's The Black Cat, Poe demonstrates irony in the sense that loved ones can stretch human emotions and actions beyond the limits of morality. The ironies in Edgar …

…a warning not to give up on the human instinct to care and nurture animal life. However, The Black Cat also hints to the warning of too much alcohol consumption and its deadly long-term effects for yourself and the people around you. Also, Poe's story has another meaning, which informs the reader to caution against pride and gloating. Whichever interpretation is determined of Poe's fiction we can all agree that his stories are highly entertaining.