Actions and Their Consequences in The Pit and The Pendulum
“When you make a choice, you also choose the consequence.” Everyday we make choices, but the outcome of those choices may be good or bad depending on the situations we are in. The Pit and The Pendulum tells a story about consequences to make the point that all actions have an out whether it be desired or not.
In The Pit and The Pendulum the narrator has to face a consequence. The narrator’s consequence was, “the dread sentence of death.” Although what he had done to deserve his punishment is unknown, he feels as though his punishment was too harsh. He is immediately taken to his sentencing he is seemingly fainted and is in a different place than originally. He is not given any time to actually think through his punishment or what had landed him into his present position. The narrator must face his consequences whether he wants to or not.
The actions the narrator has made has lead him to his consequences. He has been sent to the, “dungeon, as well as all the condemned cells in Toledo.” He is left in to the unknown as he is unbeknownst of what is yet to come. He explores the dungeon, but, “had fallen at the brink of a circular pit.” As he has unfortunately found he pit in the dungeon he does not know of all that has been planned against him involving his new discovery. Unfortunately, the narrator does not know the extent of his consequences of his actions.
The narrator’s actions have lead him to his unbeknownst predicament. As his time in the dungeon has increased, then the plans for his punishments have arrived, as he has been drugged through the water he had drank. He had been, “securely bound by a long strap resembling a surcingle,” so that he can not avoid his punishment. As he soon finds himself at the mercy of a swinging pendulum, then he is having to think of ways to avoid his untimely death. He seeks the help of hungry rats and sets them to work on chewing on the strap as his way out. Consequences of your actions can not always be avoided.
Although, the narrator was able to escape his consequences by who he thought was General Lasalle, it is not always avoidable. The narrator was only able to avoid his punishment for so long. The Pit and The Pendulum tells of the outcome of our actions. The narrator proved that all actions have consequences.
