navigation
--

Youth Voices

The Black Cat: An Examination on Morality

Artist: Shekhar Kumar

Within every human heart lies the potential for moral greatness, and inexplicable evil. The balance can vary among individuals, but the existence of these forces is undeniable. This dichotomy has been repeatedly examined in literature and other forms of art. This exposition is not directly related to Youth Violence, but can correspond to the evil that all of us may posses.

Within every human heart lies the potential for moral greatness, and inexplicable evil. The balance can vary among individuals, but the existence of these forces is undeniable. This dichotomy has been repeatedly examined in literature and other forms of art. Edgar Allan Poe displays a chilling example of this balance in "The Black Cat". The human conflict of good and evil also means that law and order need to be applied in order to ensure justice for all. If there was no law or order, this would, over time, result in a hunger for power and control. This overwhelming drive, without restrictions, almost always results in the death of conscience.

Law and order are concepts, which are necessary in society. Without such
restrictions, it would be inevitable for civilization or any single individual to move forward. In the story, "The Black Cat", Edgar Allan Poe explores a human's dark side, when there are no limitations. For example, the narrator decides to purposefully harm his wife and others near to him because he believes that he is more superior, when compared to these innocent
victims.

The hunger for power and control is a constant plague to any society. Literature including, "The Black Cat", consistently proves that power is best suited for individuals who do not covet it. In others this so called, "yearning" completely ruins the soul of the bearer. In the short story that is currently being examined, the narrator is entirely consumed by the
want, and this results in a disposition consisting of antagonism and an overwhelming ego. Shekhar Kumar | Wednesday, April 18, 2012 | Express Yourself Contest This is actually the opposite to the "docility and humanity of his disposition, which he was noted for, from his infancy".

"There are things that are worse than death", is an absolutely accurate quote. In my opinion, a death of a conscience is the worst thing that can happen to a man. When this tragedy occurs, the soul loses all sense of boundaries and several ailments are forced into the mind of the individual. These include ; Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD), psychopathic behaviours, etc. Although these disorders definitely hurt the victim, I think that the emotional and spiritual suffering is by far, more excruciating. In the narrative, "The Black Cat", the raconteur is actually in far more distress than any reader could imagine. For example, the storyteller becomes so insane that he begins to a sense of judgment, and thus cannot tell the difference between good and bad. This loss of considered opinion hurts the people that the narrator is close to, and the narrator himself.

The storyline in "The Black Cat" effectively shows the obscurity in every human being. This story shows how every individual has the potential for ethical significance, and inscrutable immorality. The equilibrium of these forces can vary among every person, but the presence is true. In order to control these potencies and prevent a hunger for power and control or a death of a conscience, law and order need to be put in place. Life cannot move forward without these concepts, as the story, "The Black Cat", so accurately demonstrates.

Privacy Service Commitment

Smaller Text Larger Text

A-Z List | Accessible Info | Careers | Contact Us