The Tell-Tale Heart Group

Question:

inuyasha
inuyasha
Student
High School - 10th Grade

What do you think about these quotes from The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe?

"In an instant I dragged him to the floor, and pulled the heavy bed over him. I then smiled gaily, to find the dead so far done."

"Villains! I shrieked 'no more! I admit the deed! - tear up the planks!- here. here!- it is the beating of his hideous heart!"

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Posted by inuyasha on Tuesday September 22, 2009 at 5:48 PM and tagged with quote, the tell-tale heart.

Answers:

  1. karenmac
    karenmac Teacher
    Middle School

    1. He is saying that in the moment he kills him he is pleased. He is surprised and happy to have the power of life and death in his hands, and realizes how final death is. He has a disconnect with the life he has just killed, he does not care. Does not notice it is a human being but a thing.

    2. He is plagues by his guilty concious. He believes people know what he has done and they are coming for him, he sees the man is dead, but still he hears his heart... subconciuosly. He admits his murder and pleads for the dead man to be removed so he no longer has to hear the noise.

    They are connected. One is how he feels in the beginning, and the other is at the end... it illustrates the progression of his deed and it's guilt and consequence.

    Rate answer:

    Posted by karenmac on Tuesday September 29, 2009 at 4:57 PM