Uncovering Theme in The Tell-Tale Heart
Learning Objective
I can determine a theme in "The Tell-Tale Heart" and analyze how it develops throughout the story.
Key Concepts
The narrator insists he is not mad, but rather that his senses have been sharpened.
The narrator is driven to murder the old man because of his evil eye, not out of hatred or greed.
The narrator confesses to the crime because he is driven mad by the sound of the old man's heartbeat, which grows louder and louder until he can no longer bear it.
Practice Questions
This lesson includes 3 practice questions to reinforce learning.
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1. What is a central theme that emerges from the narrator's initial description of his heightened senses and sanity?
2. How does the narrator's changing attitude toward the old man—from affection to disgust and hatred—contribute to the development of the theme of guilt and psychological deterioration?
3. Which of the following best describes the primary theme conveyed through the narrator's meticulous planning and execution of the murder, followed by his eventual confession to the police?
Educational Video
The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe -- Short Story Film -- 1971 [B/W]
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