The short story, like other literary forms, is not defined by its actual parameters. Subject and theme can be as varied as those of full-length novels, just as the author's individual style plays an inevitable role in shaping the work. That said, there is a common element that unites the tales; they usually create impact due to brevity itself, which authors typically rely on to make a more direct impression. Condensed, the form offers more obvious power, and this is evident in the way William Faulkner and Edgar Allan Poe use it to decidedly gothic effect. “A Rose for Emily” and “The Cask of Amontillado” are very different stories set in very different worlds, and the tone of the narrative in each is equally different. Nonetheless, both stories offer strong symbolism, and each relies on the way the tale amplifies the gothic, or dark, by virtue of a brief presentation. Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado" and Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily" both employ a narrator. , if not of a similar type. Each has a specific purpose and a unique story to tell, and the stories are uniformly dark, if not tragic. However, what greatly distinguishes the narrators' voices is tone. With Poe there is a powerfully crafted and melodramatic voice at play, constantly demanding understanding and constantly expressing righteous anger. This is evident from the first verse, which reaches the reader as a violent challenge received by the narrator: "I had borne Fortunato's thousand insults as best I could, but when he dared the insult I swore revenge" (Poe). The stage is then suddenly set for the drama that follows, as the tone clearly indicates a baroque attitude. Furthermore, Montresor tells his story in a conf......middle of paper......compared to Faulkner, if he even uses it in broad strokes. Beyond this, however, the fact remains 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 narrative in each is also different. Nonetheless, each of the stories offers strong symbolism, as each builds on how the tale amplifies the gothic by virtue of the shorter length. Works Cited Fargnoli, A. N., & 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.