Points of View in “The Cask of Amontillado” and “Barn Burning”

Introduction

In “The Cask of Amontillado,” the narrator, Montresor, has been wronged by Fortunato and he seeks revenge. Montresor is a first-person narrator, and the story is told from his point of view. We see the events unfold through his eyes and we learn about his thoughts and feelings. In “Barn Burning,” the narrator is third-person omniscient. We see the events of the story from a distance and we are not privy to the thoughts and feelings of any of the characters. This difference in point of view allows us to sympathize with Montresor in “The Cask of Amontillado” and to see the events of “Barn Burning” more objectively.

In “The Cask of Amontillado,” we see the events unfold through Montresor’s eyes. We know his thoughts and feelings and we understand why he seeks revenge. His anger is justified, and we sympathize with him. In “Barn Burning,” the events are seen from a distance, and we do not know the thoughts or feelings of any of the characters. This allows us to see the events more objectively. We can see that Sarty is in a difficult situation, but we cannot sympathize with him because we do not know his thoughts or feelings. This difference in point of view allows us to understand the events of “The Cask of Amontillado” from Montresor’s perspective and to see the events of “Barn Burning” more objectively.

“The Cask of Amontillado” from the perspective of Montresor and “Barn Burning”

In “The Cask of Amontillado,” Montresor is the protagonist and narrator. He tells the story of how he took revenge on his nemesis, Fortunato. Montresor is a prideful and vengeful man, who feels that he has been wronged by Fortunato. He is determined to get revenge, no matter the cost.

In “Barn Burning,” Sarty is the protagonist and narrator. He tells the story of how his father, Abner, burned down a barn belonging to a man named Mr. Harris. Safety is torn between his loyalty to his family and his sense of right and wrong. He knows that what his father is doing is wrong, but he feels powerless to stop him.

Both “The Cask of Amontillado” and “Barn Burning” are told from the first-person point of view. This allows the reader to see the events of the story through the eyes of the protagonist. We can understand their motivations and feelings.

In “The Cask of Amontillado,” Montresor is a very unreliable narrator. He is biased against Fortunato and he doesn’t tell the whole story. We only know what he wants us to know. This makes it difficult to trust anything that he says.

In “Barn Burning,” Sarty is a more reliable narrator. He is honest about what is happening and he doesn’t try to hide anything. We can trust his account of events.

The different points of view in “The Cask of Amontillado” and “Barn Burning” offer different insights into the stories. In “The Cask of Amontillado,” we only know what Montresor wants us to know. This makes it difficult to understand his motivations and whether or not we should sympathize with him. In “Barn Burning,” we can understand Sarty’s conflict and we can sympathize with him.

What could have happened if “Barn Burning” was told from a different perspective?

In “Barn Burning,” the story is told from the perspective of Colonel Sartoris Snopes, a young boy who witnesses his father’s abusive behavior. If the story was told from a different perspective, it is possible that we would see a more sympathetic view of Abner Snopes, the father. Perhaps we would learn more about why he behaves the way he does, and see that he is not simply a cruel man, but someone who is struggling with his demons. It is also possible that we would see a more negative view of Colonel Sartoris Snopes, as he is the one who ultimately decides to burn down the barn. This could be seen as an act of revenge, rather than justice.

Conclusion

The Cask of Amontillado and Barn Burning are both short stories that use the first person point of view to great effect. In The Cask of Amontillado, the use of the first-person point of view allows the reader to experience the events unfolding from the perspective of the narrator, Montresor. This creates a sense of immediacy and allows the reader to feel as if they are a part of the story. In Barn Burning, the use of the first-person point of view allows the reader to see the events through the eyes of the protagonist, Sarty. This creates a sense of sympathy for Sarty as he is forced to choose between his loyalty to his father and his moral code.