Literary Devices in The Pit And The Pendulum Essay

The effects that contribute to the plot of the Pit and the Pendulum are the characters, tone, and setting. First off, characters effect the plot of the story because without characters the story would not make sense. The characters help shape the story. Tone in the story effect the outcome of what the reader thinks about. The tone effects the mood for the reader in a sense.

The setting of the story takes place inside a pit or prison cell . At this time it was the sixteenth century and the Spanish Inquisition was taking place. This was when the courts of the Roman Catholic Church were accusing people of being witches and taking members of other religions and torturing them and executing them. The story does not tell the reader what the nameless narrator and central character of the story has done to deserve the torture that they receive. All the reader knows is that the characters in the story are surrounded by all of this chaos.

The tone of the story is dark and mysterious. Edger Alan Poe is trying to set up a vague tone to the Pit and the Pendulum. For example, on page five hundred and sixty-four the tone of this part is ominous because it explains how the candles are faintly seen through the narrators eyes.

Characters effect the story tremendously. Without characters the story would need more love. Like in the story, the main characters ties in the tone of the story. On page five hundred and seventy-four, the narrator is about to fall into an abyss; you feel as if he is going to die and the tone is lost in hope for him. However, right at the last second General Lasalle saved him by catching his arm.

In conclusion, the story would not be the same without the characters, tone and setting that is conveyed through the authors writing. Edgar Allen Poe has created a story that is vague, yet the reader is able to empathize with the narrator and main character. Even though there is a mysterious tone, we are also able to understand as a reader what it was like living in these times.