Terror Created One need not wonder any longer why Edgar Allen Poe was a master of the terror genre after reading "The Cask of Amontillado". Through the use of tension and ambiguity Poe has succeeded in creating suspense and terror right up to the very end of his story. It is an excellent example of how tension, imagery, and irony, combine to create an overwhelming effect of terror. The story begins with Montresor declaring his …showed first 75 words of 1501 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1501 total…Poe excels is creating tension. From beginning to end, we are never quite sure of the outcome. This suspense is created with the use of language, irony, tension, and contradictory images. Through the vague beginnings, as the revenge and injuries are described, we learn the power of creating tension using gaps in the information presented. The extreme images, mixed with contradictory characterizations are most successful in creating the effect of terror necessary for this genre.