The Tell Tale Heart
“The Tell Tale Heart”
A widely acclaimed author named Edgar Allan Poe is known for his bizarre stories on murderers, madmen and mysterious women. In his short story, “The Tell Tale Heart”, the narrator leads us through his thoughts on himself and the actions he took on the old man. The narrator cunningly devised a plan to kill an old man because of his vulture-looking eye. For him, the eye was very disturbing and he decided to forever get rid of it. He doesn’t even find himself mad for doing so. Isn’t it funny how the insane never admit to them being crazy? “The Tell Tale Heart” shows us a fine example of how insane people view themselves and what we think of them as. Thus, this essay will elaborate on the differences between the narrator’s perception of himself and the reader’s perception of him.
Firstly, the narrator views himself as an ordinary person, who is nowhere near insane. According to the text, it states, “…I had been and am, but why will you say that I am mad? The disease has sharpened my senses-not destroyed not dulled them,”(Poe 294). The narrator does not find himself crazy for murdering the old man and finds his actions to be normal. Along with that, the narrator thinks of himself for being very wise. For example, “You fancy me mad. Madmen know nothing. But you should have seen me. You should have seen how wisely I proceeded with what caution-with what foresight-with what dissimulation I went to work!”(Poe 295). He found himself very clever for devising a plan with such precise steps and how he made sure to have no trace of blood left behind. As you can see, the narrator views himself as a normal person who is not crazy.
Secondly, the reader’s perception of the narrator contrasts greatly from the narrator’s perception of himself. Readers find the narrator absolutely insane for the actions he has committed. He killed the old man just because one of his eyes looked like a vulture’s and frightened him. In the text, it states, “One of his
A widely acclaimed author named Edgar Allan Poe is known for his bizarre stories on murderers, madmen and mysterious women. In his short story, “The Tell Tale Heart”, the narrator leads us through his thoughts on himself and the actions he took on the old man. The narrator cunningly devised a plan to kill an old man because of his vulture-looking eye. For him, the eye was very disturbing and he decided to forever get rid of it. He doesn’t even find himself mad for doing so. Isn’t it funny how the insane never admit to them being crazy? “The Tell Tale Heart” shows us a fine example of how insane people view themselves and what we think of them as. Thus, this essay will elaborate on the differences between the narrator’s perception of himself and the reader’s perception of him.
Firstly, the narrator views himself as an ordinary person, who is nowhere near insane. According to the text, it states, “…I had been and am, but why will you say that I am mad? The disease has sharpened my senses-not destroyed not dulled them,”(Poe 294). The narrator does not find himself crazy for murdering the old man and finds his actions to be normal. Along with that, the narrator thinks of himself for being very wise. For example, “You fancy me mad. Madmen know nothing. But you should have seen me. You should have seen how wisely I proceeded with what caution-with what foresight-with what dissimulation I went to work!”(Poe 295). He found himself very clever for devising a plan with such precise steps and how he made sure to have no trace of blood left behind. As you can see, the narrator views himself as a normal person who is not crazy.
Secondly, the reader’s perception of the narrator contrasts greatly from the narrator’s perception of himself. Readers find the narrator absolutely insane for the actions he has committed. He killed the old man just because one of his eyes looked like a vulture’s and frightened him. In the text, it states, “One of his