The Tell-Tale Heart Genre
Have you ever read a scary book? Watched a scary movie? Have you ever thought about the structure of the book/movie and why it makes you on the edge of your seat? The works of “What Is the Horror Genre?” by Sharon A. Russel are going to be helping me critique “The Tell-Tale Heart”. I will be analyzing the unimaginable words of Edgar Allen Poe. Trying to understand the trail of thought and the technique of this amazing writer.
“Many people define horror by its subjects. We all think of creatures like Frankenstein’s monster, Dracula, and the wolfman as monsters in the horror genre.”(Russel 125). This is further represented in Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart”. “The Tell-Tale Heart” doesn’t have any Dracula's or Frankenstein monsters because …show more content…
Edgar Allen Poe uses this strategy in his book. He starts the story off like he’s telling a story. He makes you wonder why he is reflecting on his past and where is he now? What did he do to get him where he is? Poe incorporates this in the story very slowly, setting the bar higher for suspense. He gives you knowledge at small amounts of the process of the murder, “Upon the eighth night I was more than usually cautious in opening the door. A watch’s minute hand moves more quickly than did mine.”(Poe 90). Another example of how Poe uses this strategy is “I had my head in, and was about to open the lantern, when my thumb slipped upon the tin fastening, and the old man sprang up in the bed, crying out—’Who’s there?’ I kept quite still and said nothing. For a whole hour I did not move a muscle,”(Poe 91)
“The Tell-Tale Heart” uses reason 4 from the article “5 Reasons Horror in Children’s Literature is a Good Thing”. This reasons states that horror stories for children “create a broader knowledge of literature and its history.”. Poe’s uses a very descriptive technique and it can broaden your perspective of modern day literature. You can’t really predict the ending either. You can summarize the story and make the connection between the language of how Poe’s books are written and how today’s modern day
“Many people define horror by its subjects. We all think of creatures like Frankenstein’s monster, Dracula, and the wolfman as monsters in the horror genre.”(Russel 125). This is further represented in Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart”. “The Tell-Tale Heart” doesn’t have any Dracula's or Frankenstein monsters because …show more content…
Edgar Allen Poe uses this strategy in his book. He starts the story off like he’s telling a story. He makes you wonder why he is reflecting on his past and where is he now? What did he do to get him where he is? Poe incorporates this in the story very slowly, setting the bar higher for suspense. He gives you knowledge at small amounts of the process of the murder, “Upon the eighth night I was more than usually cautious in opening the door. A watch’s minute hand moves more quickly than did mine.”(Poe 90). Another example of how Poe uses this strategy is “I had my head in, and was about to open the lantern, when my thumb slipped upon the tin fastening, and the old man sprang up in the bed, crying out—’Who’s there?’ I kept quite still and said nothing. For a whole hour I did not move a muscle,”(Poe 91)
“The Tell-Tale Heart” uses reason 4 from the article “5 Reasons Horror in Children’s Literature is a Good Thing”. This reasons states that horror stories for children “create a broader knowledge of literature and its history.”. Poe’s uses a very descriptive technique and it can broaden your perspective of modern day literature. You can’t really predict the ending either. You can summarize the story and make the connection between the language of how Poe’s books are written and how today’s modern day