"In the genuine fantastic, there is always the external and formal possibility of a simple explanation of phenomena, but at the same time this explanation is completely stripped of internal probability,"

Vladimir Solovyov [1]

It is the adherence to this statement, which is typical of works that can be classified as literature of the fantastic genre that ensures that the implied reader of Edgar Allan Poe's tale, `The Black Cat' experiences the necessary sense of hesitation and lack of complete closure that is consistent with this genre in its pure form. The writer provides a variety of explanations for seemingly supernatural occurrences, however does not clearly outline a definitive solution for such events. Poe essentially intertwines the notions of the `natural' progression of cause and effect, with the condition...