As the story progresses the narrator to analyze his situation to deduce his real condition
But he has little information from which to reason. His limitations create a chilling mystery
What dangers are hidden in the narrator’s cell? And where are they?
The narrator’s answers emerge slowly and painfully as he fades in and out sleep and a drug-induced stupor suffering intense torment as he struggles against his growing fear of the unknown
By playing on one of the most basic of human fear- fear of the unknown- Poe creates a terrifying suspenseful tale. He does this by focusing exclusively on the thoughts and fear of one character
In the end Poe shows us that a short story can be effective even when detail of setting and plot are part of the story’s suspense