Analysis of the Tell Tale Heart

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Analysis of “The Tell Tale Heart” I. Setting A. Time, eight consecutive nights at midnight B. Place, the old man’s home C. Type, suggested II. Characters A. The narrator He/She is the elderly man’s assistant with an irrational fear of the man’s “vulture eye”. He/She is both the protagonist and antagonist (round) because the conflict is Man vs. Self. B. The elderly man A wealthy and old man with an eye that has a bluish, white film over it. He is a flat character C. The police An investigation party consisting of three officers who were sent to the area after hearing reports of screaming. They are flat characters. III. Point of View: 1st person IV. Style A. Flashback While talking with the police, the narrator flashes back to right before the murder when he “hears” the old man’s heart beat. B. Foreshadowing In the third sentence, the narrator tells us that he has an acute sense of hearing; this foreshadows the narrator hearing the man’s heartbeat. C. Irony The narrator, who has gotten away with what he believes to be the perfect crime, willing confesses to everything when he thinks that he hears the old msn’s heartbeat. D. Symbolism The old man’s vulture eye symbolizes the irrational fear in the narrator. V. Theme: A. Poe wants the story to show the reader how the dark side of man evoked by an irrational fear of the old man’s eye. B. Implied VI. Plot A. Inciting Incident This begins when the narrator tells the reader about the murder B. Rising Action The rising action starts with the narrator going over his murder plan and observing the old man sleeping for the first seven nights. On each night, he

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