 The tale has an underlying metaphor for the battle of brains vs. brawn . Physical strength , depicted as the orangutan as well as its owner , stand for violence : the orangutan is a murderer , while its owner admits he has abused the animal with a whip . The analyst 's brainpower overcomes their violence . The story also contains Poe 's often @-@ used theme of the death of a beautiful woman , which he called the " most poetical topic in the world " . 
