The Story of Fortunato and Montresor

Question: What are the challenges you faced when you began your writing career?

            Answer: When I began my writing career, I faced a severe challenge as a writer. I was the only one at that time who thought of making writing as a career, but due to the current scenarios of non-payment to the writers, or delayed payments, or constant humiliations from the editors or publishers, I felt quite demoralized. I, however, didn’t give up writing due to any of these causes.

            What are the challenges you faced while growing up that changed you as a person?

            Answer: I had faced quite some challenges while growing up. At the age of 18, I enrolled in the military as I had no means to support myself. Two years later I got released from the military but fell victim to the domestic issues I faced in my family after my father remarried, after my mother’s death. I subsequently was disowned by my father a year later. All through these time, I had successfully published a 40-page book, although which didn’t make any impression on my readers as they neglected it completely.

            What is the subject that interest you and you want to be remembered for?

            Answer: I find my writing influenced by the general taste of people and my willingness to explore the unknown or the mysterious realm. Therefore, most of my works till now have a Gothic theme and covers the subjects such as science fiction, physics, cosmology, and other such lesser explored area. I have a keen interest for cryptography too, and would very much like write something related to it.

            Question: Coming to the fiction The Cask of Amontillado, was Fortunato the victim of reverse psychology used by Montresor?

            Answer: It definitely seems that Fortunato is the victim of the reverse psychology used by Montresor. The story suggests that Montresor repeatedly asked Fortunato to return with him so that he doesn’t fall prey to any danger. Therefore you might think that Montresor is perfectly harmless, and wants nothing but only good for Fortunato. However, Montresor, being a cunning person, knows that Fortunato has a habit of getting suspicious at anything at the slightest provocation. Therefore, on asking him to come back, Montresor is actually urging Fortunato to move towards the long way that winds its path through the dark passages. Fortunato, suspicious in nature would end up believing that it is his decision to move forward, thus would not be able to identify any potential danger lurking in front of him, which in the end, resulted in his death.

            Question: Speaking about the suspicious nature of Fortunato, what were his other flaws which consumed him and led to his downfall?

            Answer: The vice that led to the fall of Fortunato was his pride in wine tasting. However, he forgets that he is accustomed to drinking heavily, which makes him unstable. The story shows how Montresor took advantage of this flaw of Fortunato’s to lead him to his death.

            The second flaw that Fortunato succumbed to was his competitiveness. However, he is usually very trusting. Therefore, he was easily lured into a wine-tasting competition by Montresor, which finally made him tipsy. Later, when he was not in complete control of his senses, his trustworthiness in Montresor lead him towards his doom.

Reference

“Story of the Week.” Friday Night Tykes, storyoftheweek.loa.org/2012/04/cask-of-            amontillado.html.