Reality Vs. Perception In The Tell-Tale Heart By Edgar Allan Poe
Reality Vs. Perception- “The Tell Tale Heart”
The short story “the Tell Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe centers on the insanity of a man as he battles with his own guilt and conscience as a result of killing an old man. The story is about a man which desperately tries to convince the audience of his sanity, meanwhile retelling the events of his actions. This story wholly displays the difference between reality and perception, and in this story there is stark difference between the two in the protagonist’s situation. This story displays how an individual creates his own reality based on his perceptions. The story begins with the person describing how his senses are so keen. He continues to attempt to support his own notion that he is sane, despite what he does next. The man then gives a backstory on the victim, which is an old man whom the protagonist claims to love. The protagonist blames his “idea” of killing the old man on the old man’s eye which he describes as “the eye of a vulture –a pale blue eye, with a film over it” (Poe). The man continues to elaborate on the eye and exclaim how the eye brought him fear, which can be assumed by the protagonist saying that upon seeing the eye his blood …show more content…
His perception is what in the end causes his demise as he confesses to the crime. The protagonist battles with his perception of things. What he senses is not exactly reality, but it is his reality. As the story continues he keeps trying to convince the audience of his sanity by retelling his actions in such a way to make it seem impressive. He also says, “And have I not told you that what you mistake for madness is but over-acuteness of the sense?” (Poe). This over-acuteness of the sense as he describes it, and the sound of the old man’s beating heart plays a large role in the protagonist’s perception. This sound occurs before the man actually commits the crime, and after the fact although the old man is
The short story “the Tell Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe centers on the insanity of a man as he battles with his own guilt and conscience as a result of killing an old man. The story is about a man which desperately tries to convince the audience of his sanity, meanwhile retelling the events of his actions. This story wholly displays the difference between reality and perception, and in this story there is stark difference between the two in the protagonist’s situation. This story displays how an individual creates his own reality based on his perceptions. The story begins with the person describing how his senses are so keen. He continues to attempt to support his own notion that he is sane, despite what he does next. The man then gives a backstory on the victim, which is an old man whom the protagonist claims to love. The protagonist blames his “idea” of killing the old man on the old man’s eye which he describes as “the eye of a vulture –a pale blue eye, with a film over it” (Poe). The man continues to elaborate on the eye and exclaim how the eye brought him fear, which can be assumed by the protagonist saying that upon seeing the eye his blood …show more content…
His perception is what in the end causes his demise as he confesses to the crime. The protagonist battles with his perception of things. What he senses is not exactly reality, but it is his reality. As the story continues he keeps trying to convince the audience of his sanity by retelling his actions in such a way to make it seem impressive. He also says, “And have I not told you that what you mistake for madness is but over-acuteness of the sense?” (Poe). This over-acuteness of the sense as he describes it, and the sound of the old man’s beating heart plays a large role in the protagonist’s perception. This sound occurs before the man actually commits the crime, and after the fact although the old man is