Plot
What feeling does the narrator claim not to be at the beginning of the story?
What is mad
Who is the narrator of the story?
An unnamed man.
What time of day does the murder take place?
Around midnight.
What does the “vulture eye” symbolize?
Evil, guilt, or the narrator’s madness.
What does “dreadfully” mean as used in the story?
Terribly, very badly.
Why does the narrator want to kill the old man?
What is - Because of the old man’s “vulture eye.”
Who is the victim in the story?
The old man.
What is the mood of the story?
Dark, eerie, suspenseful, tense.
What theme does the story explore about guilt?
Guilt cannot be hidden and will always reveal itself.
: What does “acute” mean when the narrator describes his senses?
Very sharp or heightened.
How many nights for the narrator sneak into the old man's room before killing him?
Eight Nights
Why do the police come to the house?
A neighbor heard a scream and reported it.
Where does the story take place?
Inside the old man’s house (mostly in his bedroom).
What does the heartbeat represent?
The narrator’s guilty conscience.
What does “stealthily” mean when the narrator enters the old man’s room?
Secretly, quietly, trying not to be noticed.
How does the narrator kill the old man?
He smothers him with the bed and then hides the body under the floorboards.
How does the narrator treat the old man before the murder?
With kindness, pretending to care for him.
How does Poe create suspense in the story?
By describing the narrator’s careful, slow movements and the old man’s terror.
What theme does the story suggest about sanity?
Insanity makes people believe they are sane.
What does “vehemently” mean when the narrator insists he is not mad?
With strong emotion, passionately.
What causes the narrator to confess his crime to the police?
He hears the sound of the old man’s beating heart (his guilty conscience).
How does the narrator describe his own senses?
He says they are very sharp, especially his hearing
What sound becomes louder and louder to the narrator?
The beating of the old man’s heart.
Why is the story an example of Gothic literature?
It has darkness, madness, death, suspense, and horror elements.
What does “hypocritical” mean in the line “hypocritical smiles”?
False or insincere.