The thoughts and actions of a murderous man makes you wonder what led them to do so. Edgar Allan Poe wrote a story called “The Tell-Tale Heart,” a literary piece that features a narrator with eerie intentions toward another character. The narrator is what can be described as neurotic, delusional, and simply a madman. The story is known for its dark and suspenseful themes. It is narrated by an unnamed man who is obsessed with the eye of an old man he lives with. The story is a classic example of Gothic literature and explores themes of guilt, madness, and obsession. The story begins with the narrator explaining his obsession with the eye of the old man he lives with. The eye is described as being "pale blue with a film over it" and the narrator …show more content…
After committing the murder, the narrator is consumed by guilt and is tormented by the sound of the old man's heart beating. The sound of the heart becomes louder and louder until the narrator is driven to confess his crime. This guilt is a powerful force that drives the narrator to madness and ultimately leads to his downfall. Madness is another major theme in the story. The narrator's obsession with the eye and his subsequent murder of the old man are clear signs of his madness. The narrator's madness is further revealed through his actions after the murder. He becomes paranoid and hears the sound of the old man's heart beating even though it is no longer there. This madness is a reflection of the dark and twisted world that Poe created in his stories. Obsession is the final major theme in the story. The narrator's obsession with the eye of the old man is what drives him to commit the murder. This obsession is a metaphor for the darker parts of human nature and how they can consume us. The narrator's obsession with the eye is a reflection of his own inner demons and how they can take over our lives. He blames his reasoning for the murder on the old man’s eye as if to justify his