“The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allen Poe and The Night of the Hunter directed by Charles Laughton both depict seemingly normal men who are, at heart, twisted sociopathic murderers. These narratives describe the dark side of humanity and the frightening existence of evil in the world. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayBoth narratives employ the use of dramatic irony to create tension right at the beginning of the story. Montressor states, “You who know so well the nature of my soul, will not, however, suppose that I have uttered a threat” (P.73). The reader is placed in the uncomfortable situation of not only being aware of Fortunato's fate, but also through the use of second person point of view of being addressed as if he were an associate of this disturbed narrator. Laughton similarly describes scenes in which only the audience is aware of Powell's true nature. For example, in one of the restaurant scenes, Pearl jumps onto Powell's lap and Laughton frames him with a low angle and side lighting. All the characters praise Powell as a righteous man of God while the audience is left squirming in their seats. Half of Powell's face is in shadow, emphasizing his dark side, and the low camera angle conveys his dominance. Both narratives have the theme that appearances can be deceiving. Both Powell and Montressor are seen by their communities as men of honor, although they hide their darker sides. In Powell's case, he is a preacher, although he has a distorted perception of serving God and acts as if killing others is especially pleasing to God. Powell acts as if killing people, especially someone you just married, stealing and trying to kill children is divine. Montressor on the other hand is a wealthy nobleman and is considered honorable by his community. An example of the theme of the narrative is when Montressor says, “My heart grew sick; it was the humidity of the catacombs that made it so. I hastened to put an end to my ordeal. This quote could be misinterpreted as Montressor feeling bad for Fortunado, when in reality he is being sarcastic and reinforcing the theme of how appearances can be deceiving. Another example of how Montressor seems really interested in knowing Fortunato's opinion on his wine, which he says is a cask of Amontillado. In reality Montressor has ulterior motives and deceives Fortunato with his friendliness. Both narratives use foreshadowing to give the reader a glimpse into potential events that could happen later in the story. An example of foreshadowing is a conversation Fortunato and Montressor have, "I drink," he said, "to the buried that rest around us," "And I to thy long life." The reader at this point knows Montresor's motivations and is giving Fortunato hints about the end of his life. Another use of foreshadowing from The Cask of Amontillado is when Fortunato spears a skeleton wearing clothing similar to his. He foreshadows his own death and how he will end up in the catacombs. A powerful example of foreshadowing in Night of the Hunter is when Pearl and John are on a boat on the river and the scene switches to an owl perched on a branch overlooking a rabbit, the owl flies down and preys on the rabbit it represents, Powell kills the children or steals their money. The solutions of both stories are very different, although death is involved in the ending of both stories. In the case of the Barrel of Amontillado, the resolution of the story is Montressor sealing Fortunato for his slow death. Then he says: "Against the new masonry I have rebuilt the old.