Why Does Edgar Allan Poe's Use Of Suspense

Despite being a deeply troubled man, Edgar Allen Poe is still considered a trailblazer in the literary community for writing some of the best and earliest short stories. Most of the stories he wrote horror stories, such as “The Tell Tale Heart.” “The Tell Tale Heart” is a story centered on a narrator who is a seemingly crazed man who kills a man for having an irregular eye. The narrator’s insanity that allowed him to murder the man eventually leads him to confessing to the police and being placed in jail. Poe is renowned for his ability to effectively incorporate fear and dread in his stories. Fear and dread are created in Poe’s story through the use of well-crafted characters, calculated pacing, and Poe’s intriguing writing style. One way

One way he builds suspense is through the use of foreshadowing. The old man’s death is one way he used foreshadowing. Right in the beginning of the story, the Narrator indicates that the old man will die: “I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever” (Poe 303). Having this premonition adds an interesting angle to the story. The reader knows that the old man will die, but is still uncertain of how, where, and why. As the story progresses, an active reader tries to imagine how exactly the death will unfold. There is some irony in the fact that having somewhat of an idea that an event will occur can be more suspenseful than if one had no foresight to an event. An eventual complication of the Narrator’s scheme is also foreshadowed. In the beginning of the story, the narrator immediately attempted to plea his sanity. It is reasonable to believe that since he is trying to convince the reader of his rationality so early on in the story that somehow killing the old man had unpleasant ramifications. Believing that the narrator will likely have his plan thwarted again lets an active reader try to predict exactly how it will happen. It makes one feel anxious since you are not completely certain how the story will unfold. Foreshadowing is a great literary device that allows a reader to predict more effectively, thus making a story more enjoyable to read. In

Most of Poe’s stories are written in first person. Using the first person point of view is a great way compose a more character driven story. While one does have a better grasp on a story written in third person, a first person viewpoint gives a reader a better understanding on an individual character. While both viewpoints can be used for any story, a first person viewpoint is generally better for writing horror stories. Horror stories rely on having a reader be uncertain on what is going on. Choosing to write the story in first person enhances the stories Poe creates. One way how the first person viewpoint accentuates The Tell Tale Heart is how the reader views the Narrator. By being having the Narrator tell the story, the reader can understand his side of the story. Since the Narrator is seemingly insane, his perspective is far more unique than if it were to come from a sane person. When the Narrator killed the old man and hid his remains, he acted as if he were a genius: “I then replaced the boards so cleverly, so cunningly, that no human eye… could have detected any thing wrong” (Poe 305). The perspective of the Narrator is much different than it would be for any other storyteller. His perception of the situation adds dread since he is likely one of the only people that would interpret his killing as a masterpiece instead of a tragedy. Another way the perspective of the story