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The Old Man
A victim of the Catholic Inquisition, he faints upon hearing his death sentence. When he wakes he is in a dark cell. He describes his confinement, trying to establish the cell’s perimeter, and from then on, his narrow escapes from death keep us fixed on his movements and thoughts, though he often alternates rapidly between calm and panic. It is never quite sure whether he is being watched or not, or whether his reactions are due to him being drugged or scared. As such, he becomes representative of the uncertainty of the time of the Inquisition.
Narrator (The Pit and the Pendulum) Quotes in Poe's Stories
The Poe's Stories quotes below are all either spoken by Narrator (The Pit and the Pendulum) or refer to Narrator (The Pit and the Pendulum). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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The Pit and the Pendulum
Quotes
I had swooned; but will not say that all of consciousness was lost. What of it there remained I will not attempt to define, or even to describe; yet all was not lost. In the deepest slumber – no! In delirium – no! In a swoon -- no! In death – no! even in the grave all is not lost. Else there is no immortality for man.
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Get LitCharts A+Looking upwards I surveyed the ceiling of my prison. […] In one of its panels a very singular figure riveted my whole attention. It was the painted figure of Time as he is commonly represented, save that, in lieu of a scythe, he held what, at a casual glance, I supposed to be the pictured image of a huge pendulum, such as we see on antique clocks.
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Narrator (The Pit and the Pendulum) Quotes in Poe's Stories
The Poe's Stories quotes below are all either spoken by Narrator (The Pit and the Pendulum) or refer to Narrator (The Pit and the Pendulum). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
The Pit and the Pendulum
Quotes
I had swooned; but will not say that all of consciousness was lost. What of it there remained I will not attempt to define, or even to describe; yet all was not lost. In the deepest slumber – no! In delirium – no! In a swoon -- no! In death – no! even in the grave all is not lost. Else there is no immortality for man.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Unlock explanations and citation info for this and every other Poe's Stories quote.
Plus so much more...
Get LitCharts A+Looking upwards I surveyed the ceiling of my prison. […] In one of its panels a very singular figure riveted my whole attention. It was the painted figure of Time as he is commonly represented, save that, in lieu of a scythe, he held what, at a casual glance, I supposed to be the pictured image of a huge pendulum, such as we see on antique clocks.
Related Characters:
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
