"The Tell-Tale Heart"

Walking gradually down the staircase. Nothing at all going through your head, besides the fact someone is knocking at your door. The chaos spinning around your head just stops; you remember that you have just murdered someone, and the cops are waiting at the door. It’s midnight. What’s going to happen next, and are they going to find the old man that no longer lives? Hearing his heart beat in your head couldn’t bring anymore fear to you, than you already have. Having been held on the spot after you have just killed someone, makes you feel like you can’t carry on with your life.

Having to live in the same house as the man with the “evil eye” would be terrifying, thinking that he is going to kill you. Caring for this man is a superior responsibility, because you are in his house and watching over him. Even thinking about murdering someone, can bring a shiver down your back. Poe’s thought to this story was that the old man was getting to the caretaker, and that the man couldn’t take it any longer, so he killed him.

The symbolism that represents this story goes back to the old man’s murder. When there is a knock on the downstairs door, the caretaker walks down the stairs. This usually represents that something tragic is going to happen. When the cops go upstairs, the manon puts a chair on top of the wood floor when the old man lies. While they are talking the man’s thoughts relate back to the old man’s mortal terror, and heartbeat, which shares on page 383.

Finally he lets it out that he is the mad man, that he killed the old man, and that he is beneath the boards. On page 385 it reads, “Villains, dissemble no more! I admit the deed! Tear up the planks! Here-here-here! It is the beating of his hideous heart.” This part of the story explains how miserable he felt in front of the police officers.

“The Tell-Tale Heart” was a story about forgiveness. After the caretaker murdered the old man he felt guilty of what he did. To make it would he confessed what he did in front of the police men. After something like this happens it is hard to move on in your life, when you feel that you will be living in a puddle of guilt forever.