Introduction
Defining similarities and differences between two stories can provide valuable insights into the ideas the authors intended to share through their works. Furthermore, comparing the storytelling elements the writers use to cover similar themes can reveal significant information about their writing process and sources of inspiration. This paper will compare two stories from famous authors that share the same theme, “A Confession Found in a Prison in the Time of Charles the Second” by Charles Dickens and “The black cat” written by Edgar Allan Poe.
Murder and Death
Firstly, it is essential to point out that both stories focus on the theme of murder, and in both cases, the murder committed by the main character presents one of the primary elements of the plot. In addition to the similarity in the theme and plot, the two stories also touch on other closely related topics such as death, otherworldly existence, and punishment that murderers would eventually face.
Death presents a recurring theme in Edgar Allan Poe’s works, which supported his reputation as one of the most famous writers in the horror genre. While stories written by Dickens also often include an element of death, his works focus on other themes, emphasizing how guilt, hatred, and violence make people feel as if “they had passed from the world” (Dickens, 1840, p.1). Therefore, one can explain that Poe’s story intends to explore the horrors of how a mystical “hideous beast” can persuade a person to murder (Poe, 1845, p. 7). On the contrary, Dickens’ story demonstrates how human unwillingness to accept someone can force him to do terrible things.
Hatred in Relationships
Next, considering the differences and similarities in the plot, in both stories, the main characters find themselves uncomfortable near the object of their hatred. Dickens characterizes his character’s feelings as unacceptance of his nephew’s resemblance to his mother. In the protagonist’s perception, the boy’s resemblance is especially evident in his “instinct to despise” his uncle (Dickens, 1840, p.2). Thus, the hatred towards his brother’s wife was so intense that her son inherited it.
However, Poe connects his main character’s growing dislike for the cat to the loss of his “docility,” “humanity,” and “tenderness of heart” (Poe, 1845, p. 1). The character in Poe’s story became “moodier, more irritable, more regardless of the feelings of others,” which caused him to change his attitude towards his cat Pluto (Poe, 1845, p. 2). The author later characterizes the character’s state as a gradual distance from the “image of the High God” (Poe, 1845, p. 5). Therefore, while the main characters in the two stories experienced hatred towards their victims, the gradual change of the main character in Poe’s story has a philosophical meaning.
Crime Revelation
Lastly, as mentioned before, the stories include the moment the murder becomes known to the public. In both cases, police officers come with an inspection of the main character’s house, where the culprit hides the victim’s corpse. On one side, in Dickens’ story, the remains of her nephew are discovered by police dogs without any additional mysticism (Dickens, 1840). On the contrary, in Poe’s work, the corpse of the main character’s wife becomes visible despite the main character’s careful attempts to hide them in “solidly put together” walls (Poe, 1845, p. 7). Thus, the unexpected discovery of the corpse indicates the presence of mysticism in history.
Conclusion
In conclusion, comparing the different and similar elements in the stories written by Dickens and Poe provides significant insights into the main ideas in the stories. Thus, despite sharing similar elements, the two stories focus on entirely different subjects. On the one hand, Poe’s work “The black cat” presents an example of a mystical story where the author compares violence and murder to an individual’s alienation from God. On the other hand, Dickens’ story “A Confession Found in a Prison in the Time of Charles the Second” shows how an individual’s hatred towards a person can be passed to his descendants. Thus, Dickens’s story indirectly attempts to explain the seemingly unreasonable conflict between Charles the Second and his nephew.
References
Dickens, C. (1840). A confession found in a prison in the time of Charles the Second. Chapman & Hall Publishing.
Poe, E. A. (1845). The black cat. Lea & Blanchard.