Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Cask of Amontillado" uses the literary devices of foreshadowing, symbolism, and irony to build suspense in the story. Select one of these literary devices and explain how it is used, provide examples of its usage, and discuss how it contributes to the suspense of the story.

Foreshadowing. It gives a sense of prediction for what will happen in the future. Foreshadowing tells / warns the readers for what might happen in the coming scenes.

This literary device provides the suspense to the plot, making the readers hooked to the story and clinging on to every single detail. The readers look forward to the plot to end, consumed with curiosity as to how the story will be completed. This foreshadowing piques the interest of the readers, keeping the flow of the plot unending and pushing it forward for the climax.

Explanation:

Edgar Allen Poe's short story "The Cask of Amontillado" tells the story of how a man took revenge on his friend for all the insults and silent sufferings he had endured from that man. Fortunato was killed by his 'friend' Montresor for being rude and for insulting him numerous times.

The author uses a lot of literary devices such as foreshadowing, symbolism, irony etc. The use of foreshadowing is most evident in this text where we as the readers, are privy to what the scenes will unfold. Foreshadowing provides a hint / reference to something that will happen in the future.

Some instances of this foreshadowing is

1. first and foremost seen in the garb of the man himself. Fortunato had dressed himself as a fool, as a foreshadowing of his role in being made a fool by Montresor when he's fooled to his death.

2. Also, the very word "cask" in the title of the story seems to suggest the casket where the dead were kept to be buried.

3. Another such foreshadowing can be seen in the scene where Montresor readily agreed with Fortunato's claim that a mere cough will not kill him; that he will not die of a cough.

This shows the intended hint for what the future plot will unfold.

All the scenes that foreshadow the impending death of Fortunato made the readers hooked on the suspense, waiting to find out if he will indeed be killed, or when or how he will be killed. It gave a forward stance for the plot, further moving the plot into its intended course, at the same time capturing the interest of the readers.