The Cask of Amontillado Relfection

I think that The Cask of Amontillado tells a lot about the nature of mental illness. I believe that the story was explaining that mental illness can sometimes spring from uncontrolled emotion. The lead character of the story went crazy over the idea of plotting revenge because he didn't learn to control the emotions that he felt when he was betrayed by his friend. "He did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation." (pg. 3) That's an absolutely insane thought and astonishing because no one should be thinking such vulgar thoughts. I also think that the story is trying to explain that mental illness can develop in "normal" people. The lead character of the story probably had a normal life; however, his uncontrolled emotions led him to develop a mental illness that led him to kill his old friend.

I think this story makes plenty of assumptions about mental illness. It assumes that disorders can develop from uncontrolled emotions and completely disorientates a person's thinking. The author assumes that any person can become mentally ill because of heightened emotions and unclear thinking. The fact that he "felt satisfied" (pg. 9) after completing the task of murdering his old friend is scary. I don't know if this is a common development in mental illness, though. I don't believe I truly agree with the way that mental illness is portrayed. I completely agree that a person can become very disorientated and begins to think strange thoughts that no "normal" person would think; however, I don't agree with the fact that mental illness can develop from immensely heightened emotions and that it would have such an enormous effect on a person. That is just my opinion, though.

I am VERY far from educated when it comes to the subject of mental illness. The only thing I truly understand is that most people don't understand what it is like to live with something to the severity of mental illness. I hope that this class will let me see mental illness in a whole new light and actually begin to understand what a person with a mental disorder may be going through.