Tell-Tale Heart

This week I ready thee short stories by Edgar Allen Poe, Tell-Tale Heart, Black Cat, and The Cask of Amontillado. I enjoy reading the works of Poe as much for the stories as I do for the style of his writing. I find his writing style to be soothing to my mind, like watching a true artist paint.

I especially enjoyed reading Tell-Tale Heart. I have red this story a few times and each time I enjoy it even more. I found the story this time to be a reflection of one losing their sanity. I could also almost detect hints of Poe’s own sanity slipping as he wrote this story.

The main character is convinced that he is not insane. As an unreliable narrator, he feels the need to remind the reader of his sound mind. I found this to draw my suspicion to the opposite conclusion almost immediately.

As the story unfolds, he feels the need to kill an old man. Not because he is motivated by money or any sort of passion. He wants to kill the old man because of his pale blue eye. Now, that motive is insanity at its best.

As he stalks the old man in the middle of the night, he sits in the darkness of the old mans bedroom. It is not until the old man awakens and lets out a cry that the killing takes place.

A quick dismemberment and stashing of body parts later and the deed is done.