O Gato Preto

On the eve of his death, an anonymous narrator opens the story proclaiming that he is perfectly sane, despite the wild narrative he is about to convey. This narrative begins years earlier, when the narrator's honorable character is well-known and celebrated. He confesses a great love for dogs and cats, both of which, he says, respect the fidelity of friendship, unlike other men. From the day he is born, he is gentle and sweet, and as he grows older, these qualities become ever stronger, until the day he begins to drink and becomes violent. The story's narrator realizes his deteriorating mental state and accepts the need to do something about it before it is too late. Poe writes about a murderer who commits a crime, is able to conceal it, but cannot escape guilt.