The short story, like other literary forms, is not defined by its actual parameters. The subject and theme can be as varied as those of full-length novels, just as the individual style of the author plays an inevitable role in shaping the work. That said, there is a common element that unites the short stories; they usually create impact because of the brevity itself, which authors usually rely on to make a more direct impression. Condensed, the form offers more overt power, and this is evident in the way William Faulkner and Edgar Allan Poe use it to achieve distinctly Gothic effects. “A Rose for Emily” and “The Cask of Amontillado” are very different stories set in very different worlds, and the tone of the storytelling in each is different as well. Nonetheless, the stories both offer strong symbolism, and they each rely on the way the short story amplifies the gothic, or darkness, by virtue of brief presentation. Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado" and Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily" both employ a narrator. , if not of a similar kind. Each has a specific goal and a unique story to tell, and the stories are uniformly dark, even tragic. However, what greatly differentiates the narrators' voices is the tone. With Poe, there is a powerfully crafted and melodramatic voice at play, constantly demanding understanding and constantly expressing righteous anger. This is clear from the first line, which appears to the reader as a violent challenge recognized by the narrator: "I had borne Fortunato's thousand wounds as best I could, but when he ventured to insult him, I I swore revenge” (Poe). The stage is then abruptly set for great drama, as the tone overtly indicates a baroque attitude. Moreover, Montresor tells his story in a conf......middle of paper......that Faulkner, if he also uses it in broad strokes. Beyond that, however, there remains the fact that both stories have distinct cores of gothic darkness to reveal, and each revelation benefits from the brevity of the genre. Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily" and Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado" are very different stories set in very different worlds, and the tone of the storytelling in each is different as well. Nonetheless, the stories each offer strong symbolism, as they each rely on how the short story amplifies the Gothic due to its shorter length. Works CitedFargnoli, AN, & Golay, M. Critical Companion to William Faulkner. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2009. Print. Faulkner, W. A Rose for Emily and Other Stories. New York: Random House, 2012. Print. Poe, EA “The Cask of Amontillado” 2014. Web.