The narrator in “The Black Cat” talks completely about himself. A quote in which this is demonstrated in is: “Hereafter, perhaps, some intellect may be found which will reduce my phantasm to the commonplace – some intellect more calm, more logical, and far less excitable than my own, which will perceive, in the circumstances I detail with awe, nothing more than an ordinary succession of very natural causes and its effects.” This quote is completely wrapped up in his own thoughts and feelings and there is no evidence that her even considers anyone else’s view. Someone who is wrapped up in themselves constantly will surely be driven mad at some point. “The Tell Tale Heart” is written in a similar fashion. “The disease had sharpened my senses, not destroyed, not dulled them” shows that he is, once again, completely self-orientated. However, there is some mention of someone else’s opinion, but is trying to prove them wrong.
Following on from the narrators’ selfish existences, there is hardly any mention of other people around them in the stories. And, when there is a mention it is very brief and succinct. There is no physical description at all, with the exception of singling out a body part here and there. In “The Yellow Wallpaper”, the narrator simply describes her husband as a “physician”. She does not describe him as a person or even as her husband – she just gives him a label.
A similar thing happens in “The Black Cat”. The narrator describes the cat in a lot more detail than his own wife. “I married early, and was happy to find in my wife a happy disposition not uncongenial with own.” In this quote he compares her to himself and says she is much like him. This gives me the impression that she is not worthy of her own personality or description. However, the cat seems to have more importance and significance in his life, and therefore a longer and more detailed description: “Pluto – this was the cat’s name – was my favourite pet and playmate.” The cat has a name which immediately gives it the higher status. He also gives much more in depth description of his feelings for the cat over his wife. In “The Tell Tale Heart” there is hardly any description of the old man himself, simply of the eye he hates so much. “One of his eyes resembled that of a vulture – a pale blue eye with a film over it” is very descriptive for such a small, primarily insignificant part of the body.
There is a lot of mention of diseases and illnesses throughout all three of the stories, whether it be about madness or something different. However, it still all comes down to themselves in the end. In “The Yellow Wallpaper” the narrator talks about her illness as if she knows nothing about it. “Assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression – slight hysterical tendency – what is one to do?” is just one of the many references to her illness. It shows that she has no control over her illness – this relates back to madness meaning being out of control.
The narrator in “The Black Cat” is in denial of madness. He talks as if the rest of the world is mad to even think that he is. “Yet, mad am I not – and very surely do I not dream.” He seems very sure of himself and confident that he is perfectly normal. He may not even see madness as a bad thing. Again, Edgar Allan Poe has used a similar technique in “The Tell Tale Heart” in that the narrator denies insanity. “I heard many things in hell. How then am I mad?” gives me the impression that he thinks he has been wrongly accused of being mad or even ill.
Throughout each of these stories there is a definite possessive nature about each of the characters. Each of them seem obsessed with something small and ordinary, and may blame it for why the rest of the world sees them as mad. In Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s story, the narrator is obsessed with the wallpaper. Throughout most of her writing she seems to be able to relate back to the wallpaper in some way or another. “I’m getting really fond of the room in spite of the wallpaper. Perhaps because of the wallpaper” is a perfect example of this. There are already two references to the wallpaper in just a couple of sentences, and she is laying the blame on the wallpaper.
Edgar Allan Poe portrays the obsessive nature of his characters in a different way. They both seem to be obsessed with dismemberment. That in itself is not the thinking of a normal or sane person. In “The Black Cat” the narrator is very violent. “Grasped the poor beast by the throat, and deliberately cut one of its eyes from the socket!” The word ‘deliberately’ shows that he knew and meant what he did, and therefore does not show any remorse. He seemed to get a thrill out of cutting the eye out. In “The Tell Tale Heart” there is also a possessiveness over an eye, this time the old man’s. It is the eye that he blames for what he did. “His eye would trouble me no more” shows that he just feels relieved by what he has done, rather than the normal feelings of guilt.
The structure of the stories can give us the sense of madness throughout. Each is made up of disjointed sentences that change speed through the language that is used. The repetition and metaphors also create an odd sense about them, in the sense that it is nothing like every day speech. And example from “The Black Cat” is : “it was now, I say, the image of a hideous – of a ghastly thing – of the GALLOWS! – oh, mournful and terrible engine of horror and of crime – of agony and death!” demonstrates all of those four things.
