In The Black Cat, Edgar Allan Poe presents an unreliable narrator who delves into the destructive impacts of guilt, addiction, and self-deception. Write a well-structured essay arguing that the narrator's increasing violence stems not from supernatural influences, but from his own psychological decline. Use specific evidence from the text to back up your argument and analyze how Poe utilizes literary devices like irony, symbolism, and narrative voice to illustrate the narrator's moral downfall.

In The Black Cat, Edgar Allan Poe crafts an unreliable narrator to delve into themes of guilt, self-destruction, and the darker sides of the human psyche. Write a comprehensive argumentative essay asserting that the narrator's growing violence stems not only from alcoholism but also from deep-seated guilt and psychological decline. Support your argument with specific textual evidence and analyze how Poe's narrative techniques — such as unreliable narration, Gothic imagery, and irony — enhance the story's main argument regarding human evil.