The Tell Tale Heart Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Edgar Allen Poe released the short story “The Tell Tale Heart “in January of 1843, about a deranged man who could not bear the sight of an elderly man’s eye, leading him to commit heinous crimes. In this short, yet gripping story, the author plunges you into the mind of a psychopath, through the avenues of his mind and the events that ultimately lead to his own demise. Poe creates a unique ambiance with his writing, leaving the reader with an ominous feeling, and a very vivid visual of the events that unfold on the eighth night of the man’s delusion. Subsequently, the murderous man’s guilt comes to light, proving he too may be capable of more emotion than overwhelming paranoia. From the very beginning of this story the author brings the reader

Poe uses clever imagery in the first few paragraphs of this short story, allowing the reader to get inside the head of an unwell man, and to hear his thoughts so-to-speak. Eerie foreshadowing is very present in the openings of the work, undenounced to the audience, making for a gripping conclusion. Proceeding paragraphs reveal Poe’s intentions for the main character, and his twisted plan to rid the world of the eye that he considered to be evil. The protagonist reveals that he has no ill feelings toward the old man the evil eye belonged to, only the eye itself. This is evident by the passage “I love the old man”. He had never wronged

Furthermore, this story is very eerie, and is not likely a suitable bedtime story for the adolescent generation. However, if murder-mystery fascinates you, this could be the perfect story to stifle your sleep. This novel could be triggering for anyone who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, as it is exceedingly anxiety inducing and portrays very graphic events that might be a sensitive topic for some. Some of the statements could be quite triggering for someone who has had their life threatened, for example; “He shrieked once- once only. In an instant, I dragged him to the floor, and pulled the heavy bed over him. I then smiled gaily, to find the deed so far done.” (Poe). This sentence, like others, could be very triggering for someone who suffers from a disorder such as anxiety or claustrophobia, given the nature of suffocation that follows in the story. In addition, the act of murder could be triggering for someone who does not suffer from a condition, and simply shies away from entertainment that displays