What Is Poe's Use Of Characterization In The Tell Tale Heart
The “Tell Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe is the story of the perfect murder. The narrator is a madman and the only person capable of unfolding the events leading and following the murder. Poe’s use of characterization allows the story to be narrated through the mind of a madman.
The raconteur is “very dreadfully nervous” (41) as he starts the case to prove his sanity.
Poe does not give the reader much information pertaining to the narrator. The reader can gather that the storyteller believes himself to be very intelligent, and have “sharpened senses” (41). Ironically the logic of his sanity only adds to the narrator’s insanity. As the raconteur gives the account of removing the body he brags of the “wise precautions” (43) used to destroy the body. He is proud of himself and wants the reader to know. Being in the position to get rid of a body or being proud of the precautions to get rid of a body are insane. There is no possible way of being sane while ridding the world of a dead body. The storyteller has one last plea of his sanity, “madmen know nothing” (41). Obviously he is not a murder because he is extremely intelligent! Insane people know nothing and would be unable of such a perfect murder. However, many serial killers are extremely smart. The narrators obsession with proving his sanity on makes him insane.
A frightening …show more content…
The fact he “loved” the old man, but continued with his plan to kill the old man is definitely psychotic. He states “passion there was none” (41); he has no reason at all to harm the man. The raconteur admits to having no motive within the story (41). To have no motive and kill innocent lives is irrational. Many would question his sanity because murder is heavily frowned upon especially without motive. Humans seem incapable of committing such heinous crimes. There is no way to explain his lack of motive unless the “narrator must be mad”
The raconteur is “very dreadfully nervous” (41) as he starts the case to prove his sanity.
Poe does not give the reader much information pertaining to the narrator. The reader can gather that the storyteller believes himself to be very intelligent, and have “sharpened senses” (41). Ironically the logic of his sanity only adds to the narrator’s insanity. As the raconteur gives the account of removing the body he brags of the “wise precautions” (43) used to destroy the body. He is proud of himself and wants the reader to know. Being in the position to get rid of a body or being proud of the precautions to get rid of a body are insane. There is no possible way of being sane while ridding the world of a dead body. The storyteller has one last plea of his sanity, “madmen know nothing” (41). Obviously he is not a murder because he is extremely intelligent! Insane people know nothing and would be unable of such a perfect murder. However, many serial killers are extremely smart. The narrators obsession with proving his sanity on makes him insane.
A frightening …show more content…
The fact he “loved” the old man, but continued with his plan to kill the old man is definitely psychotic. He states “passion there was none” (41); he has no reason at all to harm the man. The raconteur admits to having no motive within the story (41). To have no motive and kill innocent lives is irrational. Many would question his sanity because murder is heavily frowned upon especially without motive. Humans seem incapable of committing such heinous crimes. There is no way to explain his lack of motive unless the “narrator must be mad”