Final answer:
Edgar Allan Poe establishes a suspenseful and foreboding mood in "The Cask of Amontillado" through phrases like 'the wine sparkled in his eyes,' references to 'piled bones,' and the setting of 'inmost recesses of the catacombs,' among others.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Edgar Allan Poe's “The Cask of Amontillado,” the author uses a variety of words and phrases to create a mood of suspense, treachery, and doom. Five distinct words or phrases that contribute to the mood include:
- "The wine sparkled in his eyes" - This phrase sets a deceptive mood, as the wine symbolizes both the lure that Montresor uses to entrap Fortunato and the festive reason that blinds him to the danger he is in.
- "Piled bones" - References to the bones contribute a grim and macabre atmosphere, foreshadowing the story's dark events.
- "Inmost recesses of the catacombs" - The setting in the catacombs evokes a feeling of being trapped and the sense of penetrating deeper into the heart of darkness.
- “For the love of God, Montresor!” - Fortunato's desperate plea contrasts sharply with the cold-hearted reply of Montresor, amplifying the story's chilling mood.
- "A deep crypt" - The crypt is symbolic of the final resting place and the inevitability of Fortunato's fate, which enhances the ominous tone of the narrative.
These carefully chosen descriptions by Poe encapsulate the chilling and suspenseful mood that permeates the story, leading the reader down a path of inevitable horror.