Final answer:
In 'The Pit and the Pendulum,' the strap wrapped around the prisoner symbolizes imprisonment, directly representing the loss of freedom and highlighting themes of torture and cruelty within the justice system.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Edgar Allan Poe's "The Pit and the Pendulum," the strap wrapped around the prisoner symbolizes imprisonment. The strap prevents the prisoner from moving freely, which is a direct representation of the loss of freedom one experiences when incarcerated. In literature, physical restraints often metaphysically stand for larger concepts of restriction and confinement, resonating with historical episodes of medieval punishments, where such methods were a means to induce fear and exert control. Furthermore, the story occurs in a setting where the character's ability to move or escape is severely limited, creating a sense of hopelessness and highlighting the extent of his entrapment by his captors, thus connecting to the broader themes of torture and the cruelty of the justice system in certain eras.