Does Rational=Moral?

In Edgar Allan Poe's short story, "The Black Cat",  many questions are raised as a result of the narration. Poe decided to compose this story using a first-person narration rather than using a third-person narration. The first-person narrator provides a much more appealing point of view to the story. Seeing the story through the eyes of the narrator, and hearing the story through his words, creates a larger sense of mystery. If the story had been told in third-person, the reader would not be left with questions unanswered, which I believe is part of the mystery that Poe intended for the reader.

An example of this mystery and failure to understand exactly what is happening is when the Poe writes, "My original soul seemed, at once, to take its flight from my body; and a more than fiendish malevolence, ginnurtured, thrilled every fibre of my frame." (231) This particular quote was in response to the black cat, biting the narrator. Using first-person makes the reader feel like maybe they missed something, and begin to wonder whether or not this man is indeed insane for his reaction to a cat bite.

Later on in the story, the protagonist commits a series of vicious crimes in which he never fully takes the responsibility, but rather finds ways to avoid taking the responsibility while grasping any opportunity to blame the crimes on someone (or something) else. In my personal opinion, I believe this story is a confession, told in a defensive way. "When reason returned with the morning--when I had slept off the fumes of the night's debauch--I experienced a sentiment half of horror, half of remorse, for the crime of which I had been guilty; but it was, at best, a feeble and equivocal feeling, and the soul remained untouched." (231-232)  The first part of this quote seems like a confession, but as soon as the word "but" is included, it becomes a defense.

"...I aimed a blow at the animal which, of course, would have proved instantly fatal had it descended as I wished. But this blow was arrested by the hand of my wife. Goaded, by the interference into a rage more than demoniacal, I withdrew my arm from her grasp and buried the axe in her brain. She fell dead upon the spot, without a groan. This hideous murder accomplished, I set myself forthwith, and with entire deliberation, to the task of concealing the body." (236) This is another example of confession versus defense. He is willingly telling the reader that he is intending to commit the crime of killing the cat but instead kills his wife. But, instead of showing remorse over her death, he immediately attempts to conceal the crime he committed, to defend himself.

Throughout the story, the narrator tries to justify his crimes. Although he writes that he is somewhat remorseful, his actions prove otherwise. He knows that it is morally correct to show remorse for such a heinous crime, but his words do not prove to be sincere. I think Poe is somewhat trying to illustrate the "actions speak louder than words" theory, and does a good job of doing so.