black cat Worksheet - Twisty Noodle - Free Printable

The image you've uploaded is a plot diagram for Edgar Allan Poe's short story *"The Black Cat"*. The task appears to be filling in the five key parts of the plot structure: Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution, based on the story.

Let’s go through each section with explanations and fill in the blanks accordingly.

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📖 "The Black Cat" by Edgar Allan Poe – Plot Diagram

#### 1. Exposition
> *What is introduced at the beginning of the story?*

- The narrator introduces himself as a man who was once kind and loving but has become violent and unstable due to alcoholism.
- He describes his love for animals, especially his pet black cat named Pluto.
- He lives with his wife and their beloved cat, Pluto.
- His drinking problem worsens over time, leading to mood swings and violence.

✔ Fill-in:
*The narrator is a kind man who loves animals, especially his black cat Pluto. He begins drinking heavily, which leads to changes in his personality.*

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#### 2. Rising Action
> *What events build tension and lead to the climax?*

- The narrator becomes increasingly abusive due to alcohol.
- He cuts out one of Pluto’s eyes in a drunken rage.
- He hangs Pluto from a tree, feeling remorse afterward.
- A new black cat appears—similar to Pluto but with a white patch on its chest that resembles a gallows.
- The narrator grows more paranoid and angry toward this new cat.
- He tries to kill the cat but fails; it escapes.
- He kills his wife during a fit of rage when she intervenes.
- He walls up her body in the cellar, believing he has hidden the crime.

✔ Fill-in:
*The narrator becomes violent, kills Pluto, and then adopts a new black cat. He grows obsessed with the cat, which reminds him of guilt. He murders his wife and hides her body behind a wall.*

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#### 3. Climax
> *The moment of highest tension or turning point in the story.*

- The police come to investigate the disappearance of the wife.
- The narrator proudly shows them the walled-up wall, claiming it is safe.
- As he does so, the cat (which had been hidden in the wall) starts meowing from inside.
- The wall collapses, revealing the corpse and the cat clinging to the dead woman’s neck.

✔ Fill-in:
*The narrator shows the police the wall where he buried his wife. The cat screams from inside, exposing the murder and leading to his arrest.*

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#### 4. Falling Action
> *Events that follow the climax and lead to the resolution.*

- The truth of the murder is revealed.
- The narrator is arrested and taken away.
- The cat is found alive, having survived in the wall.
- The narrator is punished for his crimes.

✔ Fill-in:
*The police discover the body and the cat, and the narrator is arrested for the murder of his wife.*

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#### 5. Resolution
> *How the story ends and what happens to the characters.*

- The narrator is imprisoned for his crime.
- The story ends with the narrator reflecting on his descent into madness and evil.
- He blames the cats for his downfall, but it's clear that his own alcoholism and moral decay caused the tragedy.
- The tale serves as a cautionary one about guilt, retribution, and the consequences of sin.

✔ Fill-in:
*The narrator is arrested and punished. He reflects on his guilt and madness, realizing the cats were symbols of his conscience.*

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✔ Final Answer (Summary for Each Box):

| Section | Summary |
|------------------|--------|
| Exposition | The narrator is a kind man who loves animals, especially his black cat Pluto. He becomes an alcoholic and turns violent. |
| Rising Action | He kills Pluto, adopts a new black cat, becomes paranoid, kills his wife, and buries her body in the wall. |
| Climax | The cat screams from inside the wall, revealing the hidden body and exposing the murder. |
| Falling Action | The police find the body and the cat; the narrator is arrested. |
| Resolution | The narrator is imprisoned and reflects on his guilt and descent into madness. |

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This completes the plot diagram for *"The Black Cat"*! It highlights how Poe uses supernatural elements and psychological horror to explore themes like guilt, punishment, and self-destruction.