Do all clocks symbolize time? In “The Masque of the Red Death,” this is exactly the case. The clock is located in the room that best defines Gothic literature, which adds the idea that the clock will play a role. Because the coins symbolize time and the clock is located in the room that resembles death, the clock resembles the time of life; which is represented by “And the life of the ebony clock died with that of the last gay”. (Poé). This quote uses personification to bring the clock to life, comparing it to the life of a human. The story ends with the sound of the clock ending as the last man is killed. The clock is very complementary to the era of Gothic literature, as it represents death in that era.