Think Aloud: “The Cast of Amontillado”

Okay, say what can I infer from looking at the title? What is a cask? It’s something used to hold liquids. And Amontillado? What’s that? Before I begin, I’m going to look that word up. Okay, Amontillado, is a pale, dry sherry. So this story is about a container for alcohol—I have no idea what that means, but I know that because it’s in the title, it must be important. Everything the cast of Amontillado is mentioned, I’m going to pay close attention. So this story is written by Edgar Allan Poe. I’ve never read it before but from my reading of his other works, I’m assuming this story is going to be dark and creepy, perhaps exploring the darker capacities of humankind. So the first sentence is weird: “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had born as best I could,….” So what might that mean? Fortunato sounds like fortune, so I’m guessing he’s it for style. But I’m pretty sure it’s fortune. So he has endured the fortune of a thousand injuries, that must mean he has been patient with just the normal mistakes of life. “…but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge.” Wow, who is “he” and what has he done to piss the narrator off. Just from reading Poe before, I’m assuming the narrator is going to tell the story of why he killed this guy. But what would this guy do to warrant such harsh revenge? I’ll guess I’ll find out.