Question

"The CasK of Amontillado"

1. How did Montressor employ reverse psychology with

a. his servants

b. with Fortunato

2. The story ends that for half a century, no mortal remains have been disturbed." So why does Montressor tell the story now? To whom is he telling about his crime? Explain

Answer 1

How did Montressor employ reverse psychology with

a. his servants:
Answer: When Montresor tells his servants he will not return until morning and gives them explicit orders not to stir from the house, he knows they will all disappear as soon as his back is turned. This rids the house of servants, so there will be no one to see that he has brought Fortunato home with him. In this way, Montresor uses reverse psychology to trick his servants.

b. with Fortunato

Answer: Montresor uses reverse psychology to trick Fortunado into going into the crypt with him by suggesting that he will have someone else look at the wine and by asking him if he is sick once he gets there. Reverse psychology is the act of tricking someone into doing something by telling them not to. Montresor uses this technique twice. First he tells Fortunato that he will have someone else look at the Amontillado wine cask if he doesn’t. Then he brings attention to his cough and tells him to leave.

Montresor’s ruse to get Fortunato into the crypt is asking him to look at a special cask of Amontillado wine. He tells Fortunato that if he does not look at the wine, he will get someone else to do it instead. Montresor knows that Fortunato will never give up the chance to show off his wine knowledge. By suggesting that he will show the wine to Luchesi, he is pretty much guaranteeing that Fortunato will come to see the wine. He knows Fortunato very well.