“The Tell-tale Heart” is a story that shows what a slight difference is there between the reality and perception. In it Poe reveals a narrator who clearly suffered from insanity and could hardly understand what he was doing. All in all, it is possible to say that with the help of the narrator’s character Poe makes suspense in a story and tries to explain the readers that in certain cases they shouldn't always trust their minds.
It is possible to say that the first person point of view narration gives the readers a deeper understanding of the narrator's inner state. It intensifies the story and makes it emotionally colored. For instance, the way the protagonist describes how he planned the murder is rather striking. Thus, the narrator claims, “you should have seen how wisely I proceeded - with what caution - with what foresight - with what dissimulation I went to work!” (Poe). It is striking that the narrator treats the murder as work. Moreover, it is rather disgusting the way the protagonist was preparing for his crime. Thus, he used to come to the old man's apartment each night being very careful in order to trouble the man's dream. According to the narrator's behavior, it becomes clear that he definitely was satisfied with what he was doing. It should be also noticed that the narrator didn't even touch his victim for all these days and killed him only when the man opened his eye. Again, it proves the protagonist’s madness as he felt satisfied when he got rid if the ugly man's eye. He didn't understand what was wrong with this eye and simply wanted to eliminate it. All in all, the man's behavior and his emotions prove that he was mad and that his mind simply played tricks on him. It also contributed to creating suspense in a story.
Works cited
Poe, Edgar.Allan. “The Tell-Tale Heart”. American Studies at the University of Virginia. 1843. Web. 1 Oct. 2015
