PLOT POINTS
This is what the narrator claims drove him to commit murder.
what is The "Evil Eye"?
The narrator repeatedly claims to be this, despite evidence to the contrary.
what is sane?
Poe uses this point of view to tell the story
what is First person?
The main theme explores the effects of this on the human mind.
what is Guilt?
Poe is famous for writing stories in this dark, mysterious genre.
What is Gothic horror?
The narrator hides the body in this location in the house.
What is Under the floor boards?
This is the relationship between the narrator and the old man.
who is caretaker and patient (or servant and master)?
The story builds this element through the narrator's increasing anxiety.
what is Suspense?
The story examines the thin line between sanity and this.
what is Insanity or madness?
"The Tell-Tale Heart" was first published in this decade.
when is 1840s?
These visitors arrive at the house after the deed is done.
who is The police officers?
The old man shows this emotion when he senses someone in his room.
what is Terror and fear?
: Poe uses this technique of repeating "true" and "nervous" throughout.
What is Repetition?
The story shows how this emotion can consume a person.
What is Paranoia?
Poe often wrote about this psychological condition in his characters.
what is Mental illness (or madness)?
The narrator does this for seven nights before acting
Watching the old man sleep.
The narrator's final action reveals this aspect of his mental state.
psychological breakdown
he narrator's contradictory statements create this type of irony.
Dramatic irony
The narrator's obsession with the eye represents this theme about perception.
The difference between reality and imagination
This city is where Poe spent much of his writing career and died.
Baltimore