Themes of Responsibility and Respect in The Cask Of Amontillado by Edgar Allen Poe and Trifles by Susan Gaspells

The Definition of responsibility is having an obligation to do something. Responsibility to me means making sure you get stuff done the way its expected. The definition of respect is a regard for the feelings, wishes, rights, or traditions of others. What it means to me is to treat someone greatly and not insult or argue or hurt their feelings. Two examples can be found in the story “The Cask Of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe and “Trifles” by Susan Gaspells.

In the “Cask Of Amontillado” there are two main characters. They are Monstressor and the not so fortunate Fortunato. The story starts off with Monstressor narrating to himself about how much he hated Fortunato after he insulted his name, then Monstressor and Fourtunato met up, and Monstressor had mentioned how he had a new wine called “Amontillado.” Fourtunado made the mistake of trusting him.

So as they go down to the cellar Montresor intentionally keeps giving wine to Fortunato in an attempt to make him drunk. He gives him more and more wine until they get to a room. Then Fortunato went inside and got chained up to the wall, then Monstressor finally reveals his plan and buries Fortunato alive. How unfortunate, because of Fortunato’s blatant disrespect for Monstressor and his irresponsibility and drinking habits he probably wouldn’t have died.. Just saying…. This next story is a story turned play called “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell. We have more characters in this story, our characters are George Henderson, County Attorney

Henry Peters, sheriff, Lewis Hale, a neighboring farmer, Mrs. Peters & Mrs. Hale. So the story starts off with everyone going to a murder victim named John Wright’s now abandoned farm, everyone makes snarky remarks but as they talk about what they think happened Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale (Who I'll refer to as “The Wives” from this point on) have a point to their theories. Their husbands (County and Sheriff) make fun of them, then they end up splitting up the boys and the girls. There isn’t much but pointless dialogue until The Wives find a birdcage, not knowing if the murder suspect had a bird they thought a cat got to it, but the suspect doesn’t have a cat, then they find the bird, knot tied around it’s neck, the same way John was killed, wait… they solved it… but… shouldn’t they tell their husbands? Maybe not because apparently everything they say is a joke to them, and when they finally met back up Mrs. Hale hides the evidence and says nothing about what they figured out. County and Sheriff made the mistake of laughing at their Wives ideas, and when they found out that it was the truth they didn’t say anything. :/

In the end, many people are disrespectful and have a consequence because of it. The lesson that I learned from the stories was to never be disrespectful to the people who love you and always be accountable for my actions. Because if you don’t people may not tell you the truth, either or try to kill you.