Symbolism in Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Black Cat” In Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Black Cat,” symbolism is used to show the narrator’s capacity for violence, madness, and guilt. “The Black Cat,” written by Edgar Allan Poe serves as a reminder for all of us. The Capacity for violence and horror lies within each of us, no matter how docile and humane our disposition might appear. In this story, the narrator portrays a …showed first 75 words of 891 total…

…showed last 75 words of 891 total…except love. The second black cat gives the reader an insight of the narrator’s guilt for what he has done to black cat one. And the white spot helps the reader to realize what type of punishment black cat two is inflicting on the narrator. The basic function of black cat one, black cat two, and the white spot is to illustrate the narrator’s increasing capacity for evil and his descent into madness.