What is the theme of the story The Masque of the Red Death?
The central theme in The Masque of the Red Death is the inevitable, or perhaps more accurately, the inescapable nature, of death. Prospero and his companions attempt to shut themselves off from the rest of the world in an attempt to avoid the horrible plague (the red death) that is ravaging the countryside.
What does the chiming of the clock symbolize in The Masque of the Red Death?
The Ebony Clock is a constant reminder of death and symbolizes the inevitability of it. The revelers could neither stop its pendulum from swinging nor could they prevent its ominous tones from dampening their enthusiasm. The Seven Rooms represent the stages of life.
How does Edgar Allan Poe use imagery or diction to set a frightening or suspenseful tone?
Poe uses descriptions of the eye to generate suspense and horror. The repetition of words in the story also adds to the suspense and creates a terrifying mood. As the narrator views the old man and his eye, he repeats words to increase the tension and to create fear within the reader.
