SURVIVOR: Narrator from The Pit and the Pendulum

Question 1: How does the character search for solace, purpose, and/or redemption in this story?
The character in "The Pit and the Pendulum," who is known as the narrator, is sentenced to death during the Spanish Inquisition. He is placed in a holding cell where he awaits to be tortured by the priests. While he was in the cell he walked around trying to get a feel of where he was because he could not see. He noticed there was a pit in the center of the room and went back and forth with himself if he wanted to die now or be tortured. He waited to be tortured and was drugged from the drink the priests had given him. He awoke in a new cell where he could see and was strapped to the floor. He noticed that above him was a pendulum moving slowly down towards the narrator's body. After thinking of ways to get out of the contraption he is strapped to he came to the conclusion that it was not possible to escape. But while time was passing, waiting for his death, he realized that when the pendulum was close enough it would cut through the strap first and he might have a few seconds to escape. He was nervous when the time came, but very sure he could do it. As he predicted, the pendulum cut the strap and he escaped just in time. The priests realized he has escaped and had the room collapse, like a card board box, so he would jump into the pit. But something intervened by the French. The narrator was saved and freed. The narrator showed purpose by trying to escape, even after he gave up he would try again. The character also demonstrated solace because although he was sentenced to death he did not on a rampage of anger, he tried different ways of escaping and trying to be at peace with his life.

Question 2: How does the character's experiences reflect the historical period in which his/her story is told?
The character's experiences reflects the historical period because the narrator was sentenced to death during the Spanish Inquisition. The priests thought certain people should be sentenced to death because of their different religious views if they were not Catholic. Also the historical period is reflected by that dungeon or cell he is being held in. It is stone, underground, damp, and empty. It also has painted pictures on the walls of demons and scary images. Another part in the short story that represented the time period was how the priests or "care keepers," whoever moved the prisoners walked down coble stairs carrying the narrator to his cell. You can tell because of the coble stone that it was around the 1800s, before wood was used for stairs and obviously elevators werent invented, as well as electric doors. There are a lot of hints in a story that will tell you what the time period is, it is just the interpretation that differs.

Question 3: How does the charater's experience in the story symbolize the theme of survival and the human spirit?
The character's experience symbolizes in the story the theme of survival because the narrator tries to get out of the traps the priests of the Spanish Inquisition create. He is put through many obsticles where he could die very easily, but the narrator wants to live and escape the priests and their tortureous ways. A couple examples of his esacpe is first when he walks around the first cell he is placed in and tries to figure out some clues as to where he is and what may happen to him and he finds a deep trench or hole in the center of the room that he almost fell into. Second is when the narrator is strapped down and above him is a pendulum that is slowly dropping faster and faster towards him. He realizes that before the pendulum will cut him it will cut the strap that is tying him to the floor. When the pendulum is close enough, it cuts the strap leaving the narrator with a few seconds to escape, which he succeeds. His next encounter with death is when the room starts collapsing like a card board box. The priests want him to be pushed in to the middle of the room and fall into the hole. But before the room had fully collapsed the priests were over taken by the French. The French had saved the narrator before he was pushed into the hole. The theme is symbolized in "The Pit and the Pendulum" because the narrator does not give up. He tries throughout the whole story to escape death by the priests of the Spanish Inquisition. Another theme from the short story, human spirit, is also shown because he tries and tries and does not give up. He believe that he can escape and live if he believes in himself and tries his hardest.