Figurative Language/Poetic Devices [8- 10 examples] Simile Metaphor Personification Hyperbole Allusion Oxymoron Alliteration Onomatopoeia “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne the best I could.” (286) -hyperbole “white webwork which gleams from these cavern walls.” (289) -alliteration “ugh! –ugh!

Here are some of the main symbols that Poe integrates into his short story:

• The carnival represents energy and life.
• The catacombs represent evil and death.
• Fortunato’s jester outfit represents foolishness.
• Fortunato’s name ironically represents Fortunato’s misfortune.

In this story, the setting is arguably a metaphor in itself: the catacombs, covered with nitre, are like the web of a spider, and Montresor is drawing Fortunato deeper and deeper into that web. Montresor makes this explicit by pointing out the “white web-work,” which he asks Fortunato to look at.

Simile: A simile is when two different things are compared using the words “like” or “as.” While Montresor and Fortunato are walking through the catacombs, Montresor uses a simile to describe the appearance of the nitre on the walls of the vaults. Montresor says, “The nitre! . . . see, it increases.

The use of similes, metaphors, personification, and onomatopoeia are abundant in this Poe short story. After reading the story, ask your students to go on a literary scavenger hunt!

Fortunato is a static character because he hasn’t changed majorly. Round characters are those that have a bright personality and have many opinions or features.

What does the way Montresor dress at carnival symbolize? He is dressed as in all black with a coat, and so he kind of looks like a grim reaper. This directly relates to the story and it symbolizes kind of how Montresor acts with the events of the story because in the end he gives Fortunato a painful death.

The Montresor Coat of Arms and Motto They indicate the family is likely well established and noble (a fact that is reinforced by the size of the family vaults and the fact that Montresor has multiple servants). The coat of arms is a golden foot on a field of blue, crushing a serpent that is biting the heel of the foot.

Montresor describes his family’s coat of arms as follows: “A huge human foot d’or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heal.” There is a dramatic irony here.

It is appropriate that Montresor describes his coat of arms and motto as he does, because it seems to reinforce the reader’s conception of his great pride and vindictiveness. Fortunato may be asking about Montresor’s coat of arms in the hope of embarrassing him.