The Simpsons has been one of the United States’ most significant cartoon series for over three decades. Season 6 Episode 2, or Lisa’s Rival is a satire that pays homage to one of the biggest names known in gothic literature. During this episode, Lisa Simpson is one of the most intelligent kids in school, until a new student named Allison Taylor steps up to compete for the once-concrete role. This is a classic example of how The Simpsons tackles serious topics through digestible humor, portraying the guilt, suspense, tension, and remorse of Lisa Simpson’s journey navigating the struggles of competition based on the subtly similar events in The Tell-Tale Heart.
In the original story by Edgar Allen Poe, guilt, remorse, and consequences are themes
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Throughout the episode, the audience is introduced to the protagonist, Lisa Simpson as she struggles to deal with sharing the limelight of being the smartest student in her school with a new classmate named Allison Taylor. This episode explores the trials and tribulations Lisa goes through when navigating school, band, and the diorama showcase as she finally is hit with the consequences of her short-lived plan. The role of Lisa’s conscience is portrayed throughout the episode as she second-guesses her thoughts and feelings about Allison, with the realization that the negativity she felt towards her classmate was solely due to her own bruised ego. Her actions plotting against Allison went past the strict moral code that she was very stern about following, leading her to become so full of guilt, and inevitably break at the school’s diorama show. Several satirical moments are shown directly referencing The Tell-Tale Heart and many that stood out highlighted the tenuous relationship dynamic Lisa and Allison had, when Allison first introduced her diorama project it was based on the iconic scene in The Tell-Tale Heart. Telling Lisa that it was the exact moment when the narrator, stricken with agony because of the sickening heartbeat he heard under the floorboards, had confessed to his crime in extreme anguish to the questioning police officers. Later