Tell Tale Heart Flashcards
describe the narrator
He’s going mad and thinks that he isn’t. He could’ve had past drama with family or people watching him. He could have a mental problem or need help. He’s a psycho and insane. The whole point of the story is him telling us that he’s not insane, but he clearly is.
would this tale seem less strange if it were told by a police officer?
Yes, because they don’t know the full story. They just think that it was a false alarm, and that everyone was fine. He just would’ve been suspicious, he wouldn’t know any of the weird details. The police also didn’t hear any of his thoughts. If you heard it from the police, you would hear it from the good guys perspective instead of the bad guys. The narrator could be talking to himself, a priest, a therapist, the dead body, the police, the judge in court, a cellmate in jail, or a family member.
why does the narrator kill the old man?
he loved the old man, but hated his vulture eye
summarize the steps of his plan
First, he went to the old man’s room for 7 days at midnight. Then on the 8th night, he peaked in and the old man was awake. After waiting in the dark, he finally made a move. He pushed the old man on the floor, and put the bed on top of him. It crushed him, and he died. He then cut off the head, arms, and leg, and buried them in different places throughout his room under the floorboard. He said he wouldn’t kill the old man until his eye was open and he could see it.
why do the police arrive?
The neighbor heard a shriek and got suspicious
what sound drives the narrator to confess to the crime?
A ringing in his ear. He thought that it was the guilt of killing the man. He said he could hear the heartbeat of the dead old man and thought that he was coming back to haunt him. It was his heart beat that he heard because he felt guilty.
in what way is the narrator carful about the means he uses and careless about whether his act is justified?
He snuck into the room stealthily, he made sure to bury the body where no one would find it, and he put the bed on him so he didn’t have to deal with the blood.
do you think that the narrator feels guilty for his crime?
Yes, because guilt is what drove him to confessing. The ringing in his ears, and the old man’s heart was his guilt and conscience.
do you think anyone else heard the old man’s heart beat?
No, because the old man is dead and he’s paranoid. It’s another symbol of guilt.
do you think the narrator’s cleverness and carefulness proves he isn’t “mad”?
No, because he killed the man just because he didn’t like his eye. I feel like his carefulness and cleverness meant that he was more mad because he knew how to kill someone.
why do you think people read tales of terror, such as this one?
Because people might like to be scared, or they could be interested in these kinds of writings. They’re exciting like a rollercoaster.
