Vocabulary
Which word means “to annoy or bother someone”?
Vex
Name one detail from the exposition/conflict of the story.
Narrator is obsessed with old man’s “vulture eye.”
What physical feature of the old man terrifies the narrator?
Pale, “vulture-like” eye
What emotion drives the narrator to confess?
Guilt
Who is the narrator of the story?
First-person narrator/The Killer
Fill in the blank: “Her senses were so _____ she heard the faintest sound.”
Acute
What event marks the rising action?
The narrator spies on the old man night after night.
How many nights does the narrator watch the old man before the murder?
Seven nights
Which vocabulary word best describes the narrator’s intense feelings as the police question him?
Vehemently
What literary device is used when the narrator hears the heartbeat?
Imagery, Symbolism
Which word means “boldness or daring that might shock others”?
Audacity
Describe the climax in one sentence.
The narrator hears the heart beating underneath his chair.
Where does the narrator hide the body?
Beneath the floorboards
How does sound create suspense in the story?
The imagined heartbeat grows louder, increasing tension and panic
Identify one example of foreshadowing in the story.
Narrator describing obsession with the old man’s eye hints at murder
What word describes dramatic hand or arm movements while speaking?
Gesticulations
What happens in the falling action after the murder?
The man thinks the police hears the heartbeat and is mocking him.
What does the “beating heart” most likely symbolize?
The narrator’s guilt
Explain how guilt and conscience are connected in this tale.
The narrator’s guilt is shown as the imagined heartbeat, forcing confession
How does the point of view affect our understanding of the story?
First-person makes narrator unreliable and suspenseful
Give a real-life example of when you might need to refrain from speaking.
Open response (must use “refrain”)
How does the resolution show the theme of guilt?
The imagined heartbeat forces the narrator to confess.
Give one reason the narrator is considered unreliable.
He claims sanity but exhibits irrational thoughts and hallucinations
Identify a modern situation where someone’s conscience might “betray” them like the heartbeat betrays the narrator.
Open response (e.g., lying about cheating and feeling compelled to confess)
Which narrative element shows the story’s turning point?
Climax-When the narrator became paranoid by the heartbeat.