Reflection Paper on the Climax in the Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Alan Poe
The Murderer versus the Murder
Reflection Paper on “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Alan Poe
A major aspect in this story is the climax, since in my opinion there is more than one. Which I believe is good since the story does not stop after the first climax, which is the murder; it seems to get even more suspenseful. Inevitably, the first climax is when the narrator, whose name and gender is unknown in the story, finally murders the old man after eight nights of planning. “There was no pulsation. He was stone dead. His eye would trouble me no more” (Poe 4). This is considered a climax since the murder was planned and we (the readers) were involved in each step of it due to Poe’s use of adjectives and repetition. After this climax, the story does not go into the falling action. Instead, it continues to be suspenseful as the cops show up in order to investigate the murder. It gets more intense when at first he was so confident that he would get away with the murder but then he begins to hear the heart beat and becomes paranoid. “I smiled – for what had I to fear? I bade the gentlemen welcome… I fancied a ringing in my ears… The ringing became more distinct: - it continued and became more distinct…” (Poe 5). The narrator tried to hide the fact that he was so uncomfortable with their presence, as well as trying to speak louder in order to somewhat overbear the heat beating but the heart beats only grew louder and louder. “Dissemble no more! I admit the deed...” (Poe 6). The previous extract from the story would very much demonstrate the second climax. Attention to all the details involved in this story may help the reader identify the climax, and in my opinion this story is about the murderer and his guilt rather than the murder itself. Therefore, I believe that the main climax occurs when the narrator admits to the cops that he murdered the old man.
List of References:
Angus, D. (1987). The best short stories of the modern age. Robbinsdale, MN: Fawcett.
Reflection Paper on “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Alan Poe
A major aspect in this story is the climax, since in my opinion there is more than one. Which I believe is good since the story does not stop after the first climax, which is the murder; it seems to get even more suspenseful. Inevitably, the first climax is when the narrator, whose name and gender is unknown in the story, finally murders the old man after eight nights of planning. “There was no pulsation. He was stone dead. His eye would trouble me no more” (Poe 4). This is considered a climax since the murder was planned and we (the readers) were involved in each step of it due to Poe’s use of adjectives and repetition. After this climax, the story does not go into the falling action. Instead, it continues to be suspenseful as the cops show up in order to investigate the murder. It gets more intense when at first he was so confident that he would get away with the murder but then he begins to hear the heart beat and becomes paranoid. “I smiled – for what had I to fear? I bade the gentlemen welcome… I fancied a ringing in my ears… The ringing became more distinct: - it continued and became more distinct…” (Poe 5). The narrator tried to hide the fact that he was so uncomfortable with their presence, as well as trying to speak louder in order to somewhat overbear the heat beating but the heart beats only grew louder and louder. “Dissemble no more! I admit the deed...” (Poe 6). The previous extract from the story would very much demonstrate the second climax. Attention to all the details involved in this story may help the reader identify the climax, and in my opinion this story is about the murderer and his guilt rather than the murder itself. Therefore, I believe that the main climax occurs when the narrator admits to the cops that he murdered the old man.
List of References:
Angus, D. (1987). The best short stories of the modern age. Robbinsdale, MN: Fawcett.
References: Angus, D. (1987). The best short stories of the modern age. Robbinsdale, MN: Fawcett. (Originally published in 1969)