Question

Refer to Explorations in Literature for a complete version of this story.

In “The Pit and the Pendulum,” the narrator explains, "I proceeded for many paces; but still all was blackness and vacancy."

How does Poe's inclusion of this description affect the story?

A. It creates dark humor by making readers imagine how foolish the narrator must look in this situation.

B. It adds mystery to the tale by subtly suggesting that the narrator has something to hide.

C. It contributes to the story's rather serene mood by describing the peaceful emptiness of the environment.

D. It increases the suspense by maintaining the narrator's sense of displacement and uncertainty.

Answer 1

Poe's inclusion of the above description affects the story as:

B. It adds mystery to the tale by subtly suggesting that the narrator has something to hide.

The story begins with the narrator getting sentenced to death. The story takes to the time during the Spanish Inquisition when the result of the death sentence was the most horrible and terrifying. The setting of the story and the characters are described in the terms of being pale, scary, torturous, painful and horrifying. The description of the pendulum which is described as an instrument of death gives a Gothic experience to the readers.

Answer 2

I took this quiz. The answer is D :)