The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe

LITERARY FOCUS: NARRATOR

A narrator is a person who tells a story. A storys narrator may be a
character in the story. Another type of narrator is outside the story and
observes and reports on the action that takes place. We rely on a storys
narrator to let us know what is going on. But what if the narrator cant
be trusted? As you read The Tell-Tale Heart, decide whether or not its
narrator is truthfulor even sane.

IRONY: THE UNEXPECTED

Irony is a contrast between expectation and reality. Much of the horror
in The Tell-Tale Heart comes from Poes use of irony. Look for these
three basic kinds of irony as you read the story:
Verbal irony What is said is the opposite of what is meant.
Situational irony What happens is different from or even opposite
of what we expected.
Dramatic irony We know something a character doesnt know.

READING SKILLS: PREVIEWING

Copyright by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

When you preview a selection, you look it over to see what lies ahead.
You might scan the title and skim a paragraph or two to get an idea of
the writers subject and style. Preview Poes story. What predictions can
you make?

My Predictions

Literary Skills
Understand
narrator;
understand
irony.
Reading Skills
Preview the
story.
Vocabulary
Skills
Identify
synonyms.

172 Part 1 Collection 5 / A Matter of Style

 PREVIEW SELECTION VOCABULARY
Become familiar with these words before you read The Tell-Tale Heart.

acute (kyt) adj.: sharp. suavity (swvt) n.: smooth manner;

His nervousness increased his acute sense of smoothness.
hearing. The police showed perfect suavity.
vexed (vekst) v.: disturbed. audacity (dast) n.: boldness.
He was vexed by the old mans eye. He was impressed with his own audacity.
sagacity (sgast) n.: intelligence and vehemently (vmntl) adv.: forcefully.
good judgment.
He talked more vehemently, but he couldnt
He was proud of his powers and of his sagacity. drown out the sound.

refrained (rifrnd) v.: held back. gesticulations (jestikylnz) n.:

Though furious, he refrained from action. energetic gestures.
His violent gesticulations did not disturb the
wary (wer) adj.: cautious.
police officers.
He was too wary to make a careless mistake.
derision (dirin) n.: ridicule.
He hated the smiling derision of the police.
Copyright by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

CLARIFYING WORD MEANINGS: SYNONYMS

A synonym is a word that has the same or nearly the same meaning
as another word. When you learn a new word, take note of its
synonyms. Knowing its synonyms will help you remember the new
words meaning.

In the sentences below, a synonym is provided in parentheses for each

boldface vocabulary word.
Above all was the sense of hearing acute (sharp).
It was not the old man who vexed (annoyed) me, but his Evil Eye.
I had been too wary (cautious) for that.
I talked more quicklymore vehemently (forcefully); but the noise
steadily increased.
Anything was more tolerable than this derision (ridicule)!

The Tell-Tale Heart 173

 Edgar Allan Poe

Tom Leonard.
True!nervousvery, very dreadfully nervous I had been
Re-read lines 17. Circle what and am; but why will you say that I am mad? The disease

Copyright by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

the narrator says he is not.
Underline how he intends to
had sharpened my sensesnot destroyednot dulled
prove hes healthy. them. Above all was the sense of hearing acute. I heard all
things in the heaven and in the earth. I heard many things
in hell. How, then, am I mad? Hearken! and observe how
acute (kyt) adj.: sharp;
sensitive; severe.
healthilyhow calmly I can tell you the whole story.
It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my
brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night.
How would you describe the 10 Object1 there was none. Passion there was none. I loved the
narrators reaction to the old
man (lines 817)? Underline old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given
the idea that enters the me insult. For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his
narrators brain.
eye! Yes, it was this! One of his eyes resembled that of a

1. object (bjikt) n.: purpose or goal.

174 Part 1 Collection 5 / A Matter of Style

 vulturea pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it
fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degreesvery
graduallyI made up my mind to take the life of the old In lines 1833 the narrator
claims to have several quali-
man and thus rid myself of the eye forever. ties that insane people dont
Now this is the point. You fancy me mad. Madmen have. Circle the qualities that
he mentions. In your opinion,
know nothing. But you should have seen me. You should does having those qualities
prove his sanityor not?
20 have seen how wisely I proceededwith what caution
with what foresightwith what dissimulation2 I went to
work! I was never kinder to the old man than during the
whole week before I killed him. And every night, about
midnight, I turned the latch of his door and opened it
oh, so gently! And then, when I had made an opening
sufficient for my head, I put in a dark lantern, all closed, Pause at line 40. Do you
closed, so that no light shone out, and then I thrust in my think the narrator will kill
the old man? Tell what you
head. Oh, you would have laughed to see how cunningly think will happen. Base your
prediction on the details you
I thrust it in! I moved it slowlyvery, very slowly, so that already know.
30 I might not disturb the old mans sleep. It took me an hour
to place my whole head within the opening so far that I
could see him as he lay upon his bed. Ha! Would a madman
have been so wise as this? And then, when my head was
Copyright by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

well in the room, I undid the lantern cautiouslyoh, so

cautiouslycautiously (for the hinges creaked)I undid
it just so much that a single thin ray fell upon the vulture
eye. And this I did for seven long nightsevery night just
at midnightbut I found the eye always closed; and so it
was impossible to do the work; for it was not the old man
40 who vexed me, but his Evil Eye. And every morning, when
the day broke, I went boldly into the chamber and spoke
courageously to him, calling him by name in a hearty tone
and inquiring how he had passed the night. So you see he
would have been a very profound3 old man, indeed, to

vexed (vekst) v.: disturbed;

2. dissimulation (disimyln) n.: disguising of intentions or feel- annoyed.
ings. (Look for a similar word at the end of the story.)
3. profound (prfnd) adj.: deeply intellectual.

The Tell-Tale Heart 175

 suspect that every night, just at twelve, I looked in upon
him while he slept.
sagacity (sgast) n.: intel- Upon the eighth night I was more than usually cautious
ligence and good judgment.
in opening the door. A watchs minute hand moves more
quickly than did mine. Never before that night had I felt the
50 extent of my own powersof my sagacity. I could scarcely
Re-read lines 4759. Why
is it ironic that the old man
contain my feelings of triumph. To think that there I was,
feared robbers? (What opening the door, little by little, and he not even to dream
should he have feared?)
of my secret deeds or thoughts. I fairly chuckled at the idea;
and perhaps he heard me; for he moved on the bed suddenly,
as if startled. Now you may think that I drew backbut no.
His room was as black as pitch with the thick darkness (for
the shutters were close fastened, through fear of robbers),
and so I knew that he could not see the opening of the
door, and I kept pushing it on steadily, steadily.
60 I had my head in, and was about to open the lantern,
when my thumb slipped upon the tin fastening, and the old
man sprang up in the bed, crying outWhos there?
I kept quite still and said nothing. For a whole hour I
did not move a muscle, and in the meantime I did not hear

Copyright by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

him lie down. He was still sitting up in the bed listening
just as I have done, night after night, hearkening to the
deathwatches4 in the wall.
Read the boxed passage at
least twice to appreciate the Presently I heard a slight groan, and I knew it was the
authors unique stylethe
groan of mortal terror. It was not a groan of pain or of
way he expresses himself.
Notice the kinds of words 70 griefoh, no!it was the low, stifled sound that arises
and sentences he useslong,
short, simple, poetic, and from the bottom of the soul when overcharged with awe. I
so on. As you read aloud,
knew the sound well. Many a night, just at midnight, when
change the pace of your
reading to reflect the narra- all the world slept, it has welled up from my own bosom,
tors words. Decide which
sentences you will read softly, deepening, with its dreadful echo, the terrors that distracted
perhaps even in a whisper.
me. I say I knew it well. I knew what the old man felt, and
Pay special attention to Poes
use of italic type to show pitied him, although I chuckled at heart. I knew that he had
emphasis, and dashes to show
abrupt changes in thought.
4. deathwatches n.: beetles that burrow into wood and make tapping
sounds, which some people believe are a sign of approaching death.

176 Part 1 Collection 5 / A Matter of Style

 been lying awake ever since the first slight noise, when he
had turned in the bed. His fears had been ever since growing
upon him. He had been trying to fancy them causeless but Unperceived, in line 87, means
not seen or detected. Circle
80 could not. He had been saying to himselfIt is nothing the context clues that hint at
but the wind in the chimneyit is only a mouse crossing the words meaning.

the floor, or It is merely a cricket which has made a single

chirp. Yes, he had been trying to comfort himself with
these suppositions; but he had found all in vain. All in vain; Study the art on this page.
How well do you think it
because Death, in approaching him, had stalked with his brings to life the scene
described in lines 7683?
black shadow before him and enveloped the victim. And it Explain.
was the mournful influence of the unperceived shadow that
caused him to feelalthough he neither saw nor heardto
feel the presence of my head within the room.
90 When I had waited a long time, very patiently, without
hearing him lie down, I resolved to open a littlea very,
very little crevice in the lantern. So I opened ityou cannot
imagine how stealthily, stealthilyuntil, at length, a single
Copyright by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

Culver Pictures, Inc.

This illustration and the illustration on page 180 are from a short movie
based on The Tell-Tale Heart.

The Tell-Tale Heart 177

 dim ray, like the thread of the spider, shot from out the
crevice and full upon the vulture eye.
Re-read lines 90108. Under- It was openwide, wide openand I grew furious as
line three visual images,
details that help you picture I gazed upon it. I saw it with perfect distinctnessall a dull
what is happening. Then, blue, with a hideous veil over it that chilled the very marrow
circle three sound images,
details that help you hear in my bones; but I could see nothing else of the old mans
what is happening.
100 face or person, for I had directed the ray, as if by instinct,
precisely upon the damned spot.
And now have I not told you that what you mistake for
madness is but overacuteness of the senses?now, I say,
there came to my ears a low, dull, quick sound, such as a
watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I knew that sound
well too. It was the beating of the old mans heart. It
increased my fury, as the beating of a drum stimulates the
soldier into courage.
But even yet I refrained and kept still. I scarcely
110 breathed. I held the lantern motionless. I tried how steadily
Pause at line 108. What do I could maintain the ray upon the eye. Meantime the hellish
you think the narrator might
be hearing when he thinks
tattoo5 of the heart increased. It grew quicker and quicker
he hears the beating of the and louder and louder every instant. The old mans terror
old mans heart?

Copyright by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

must have been extreme! It grew louder, I say, louder every
moment!do you mark me well? I have told you that I am
nervous: So I am. And now at the dead hour of the night,
amid the dreadful silence of that old house, so strange a
noise as this excited me to uncontrollable terror. Yet for some
minutes longer I refrained and stood still. But the beating
120 grew louder, louder! I thought the heart must burst. And
now a new anxiety seized methe sound would be heard
by a neighbor! The old mans hour had come! With a loud
yell, I threw open the lantern and leaped into the room. He
shrieked onceonce only. In an instant I dragged him to
refrained (rifrnd) v.: held the floor and pulled the heavy bed over him. I then smiled
back.

5. tattoo n.: steady beat.

178 Part 1 Collection 5 / A Matter of Style

 gaily to find the deed so far done. But, for many minutes,
the heart beat on with a muffled sound. This, however, did
not vex me; it would not be heard through the wall. At Tell what happens on the
eighth night (lines 47133).
length it ceased. The old man was dead. I removed the bed Be sure to include the reason
130 and examined the corpse. Yes, he was stone, stone dead. the narrators behavior
changes. Describe how he
I placed my hand upon the heart and held it there many commits the murder.

minutes. There was no pulsation. He was stone dead. His

eye would trouble me no more.
If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer
when I describe the wise precautions I took for the conceal-
ment of the body. The night waned,6 and I worked hastily
but in silence. First of all I dismembered the corpse. I cut
off the head and the arms and the legs.
I then took up three planks from the flooring of the
140 chamber and deposited all between the scantlings.7 I then
replaced the boards so cleverly, so cunningly, that no
human eyenot even hiscould have detected anything
wrong. There was nothing to wash outno stain of any
kindno blood spot whatever. I had been too wary for
that. A tub had caught allha! ha!
Copyright by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

When I had made an end of these labors, it was four Pause at line 145. Whats one
example of something that
oclockstill dark as midnight. As the bell sounded the the narrator has saidor
hour, there came a knocking at the street door. I went down doneor feltthat is evi-
dence that he is mad?
to open it with a light heartfor what had I now to fear?
150 There entered three men, who introduced themselves, with
perfect suavity, as officers of the police. A shriek had been
heard by a neighbor during the night; suspicion of foul play
had been aroused; information had been lodged at the
police office, and they (the officers) had been deputed8 to
search the premises.

wary (wer) adj.: cautious.

suavity (swvt) n.:

6. waned (wnd) v.: gradually drew to a close. smoothness; politeness.
7. scantlings n.: small beams of wood.
8. deputed (dpytid) v.: appointed.

The Tell-Tale Heart 179

Pause at line 166. The officers
seem satisfied that nothing
bad has happened in the
house. Will the narrator get
away with his crime? What
do you think will happen
next?

Culver Pictures, Inc.

I smiledfor what had I to fear? I bade the gentlemen
welcome. The shriek, I said, was my own in a dream. The
old man, I mentioned, was absent in the country. I took my
visitors all over the house. I bade them searchsearch well.

Copyright by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

160 I led them, at length, to his chamber. I showed them his
treasures, secure, undisturbed. In the enthusiasm of my
confidence, I brought chairs into the room and desired them
here to rest from their fatigues, while I myself, in the wild
audacity of my perfect triumph, placed my own seat upon
the very spot beneath which reposed the corpse of the victim.
The officers were satisfied. My manner had convinced
them. I was singularly at ease. They sat, and while I answered
cheerily, they chatted of familiar things. But, ere long, I felt
myself getting pale and wished them gone. My head ached,
170 and I fancied a ringing in my ears; but still they sat and still
chatted. The ringing became more distinctit continued
audacity (dast) n.:
boldness. and became more distinct: I talked more freely to get rid of

180 Part 1 Collection 5 / A Matter of Style

 the feeling: but it continued and gained definitivenessuntil,
at length, I found that the noise was not within my ears.
No doubt I now grew very palebut I talked more What is happening to the
narrator (lines 175189)?
fluently and with a heightened voice. Yet the sound What does he think he
increasedand what could I do? It was a low, dull, quick hears? Whats your explana-
tion for the sound he hears?
soundmuch such a sound as a watch makes when enveloped
in cotton. I gasped for breathand yet the officers heard it
180 not. I talked more quicklymore vehemently; but the noise
steadily increased. I arose and argued about trifles, in a high
key and with violent gesticulations, but the noise steadily
increased. Why would they not be gone? I paced the floor
to and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to fury by the
observation of the menbut the noise steadily increased.
Oh God! what could I do? I foamedI ravedI swore! I
swung the chair upon which I had been sitting and grated
Poe once wrote that every
it upon the boards, but the noise arose over all and contin- word in a story should create
ually increased. It grew louderlouderlouder! And still a single, overwhelming
impression. In your opinion,
190 the men chatted pleasantly, and smiled. Was it possible they what impression was he try-
ing to create in this story?
heard not? Almighty God!no, no! They heard!they
suspected!they knew!they were making a mockery of
Copyright by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

my horror!this I thought, and this I think. But anything

was better than this agony! Anything was more tolerable
than this derision! I could bear those hypocritical smiles
no longer! I felt that I must scream or die!and now
again!hark! louder! louder! louder! louder!
Villains! I shrieked, dissemble no more! I admit the
deed!tear up the planks!here, here!it is the beating
vehemently (vmntl)
200 of his hideous heart!
adv.: forcefully; passionately.

gesticulations
(jestikylnz) n.:
energetic gestures.

derision (dirin) n.:

contempt; ridicule.

The Tell-Tale Heart 181

 The Tell-Tale Heart
Narrator Evaluation Chart The narrator of The Tell-Tale Heart claims
that he is not mad. Do you agree? Fill out the graphic below by collecting
evidence from the story. Focus on the narrators thoughts, words, and
Literary Skills actions. Then, write whether or not you think the narrator is a reliable
Analyze the
narrator. source of information.

Narrator

Copyright by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

Sane Mad

I believe the narrator is

182 Part 1 Collection 5 / A Matter of Style

 Skills Review

The Tell-Tale Heart

VOCABULARY AND COMPREHENSION

A. Synonyms Write the word from the Word Bank that best fits each Word Bank
group of synonyms.
acute
1. disturbed, annoyed, troubled
vexed
2. careful, cautious, leery sagacity
refrained
3. boldness, daring, brazenness
wary
4. withheld, repressed, held back
suavity
5. forcefully, passionately, furiously audacity
vehemently
6. smoothness, politeness, fine manners
gesticulations
7. gestures, wild movements, spasms
derision
8. scorn, ridicule, contempt

9. sharp, sensitive, severe

Copyright by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

10. intelligence, smarts, good sense

B. Reading Comprehension Answer each question below.

1. Why does the narrator decide to kill the old man?

2. Why does the narrator think he is not mad?

3. Who arrives at the narrators door at night? Why have they come?

Vocabulary
4. Why does the narrator finally confess to his crime? Skills
Identify
synonyms.

The Tell-Tale Heart 183

 Possible Answers to Skills Review Page 176
IDENTIFY
Vocabulary and Comprehension (page 169) Possible answer: It is ironic because even as the old
A. 1. insatiable man protects himself against robbers from outside,
2. allotted he is about to be robbed of his life by someone
3. enthusiasm inside the house.
4. reverberated
B. 1. Miep Gies is telling the story. Page 177
2. It is safe for Miep and Henk to visit the WORD STUDY
Annex only at night, after all the workers have Context clues that hint at the meaning of unper-
gone home. ceived: shadow (line 87); caused him to feel (line
3. The people in the Annex receive news of the 88); and he neither saw nor heard (line 88).
outside world through the radio, specifically EVALUATE
through a program called Radio Orange. Responses will vary. Some students may think that
4. At the end of the story, Miep finds herself the weird nature of the painting reflects the weird
unable to sleep because she finally under- atmosphere of the story. Other students may be dis-
stands the fear that the inhabitants of the appointed by the picture, saying it is not how they
Annex feel. pictured the storys scene at all.

Page 178
VISUALIZE
Visual images in lines 90108 include a single dim
The Tell-Tale Heart, page 172 ray, like the thread of the spider; It was open
wide, wide open; and all a dull blue, with a
Page 174 hideous veil over it.
IDENTIFY Sound images include a low, dull, quick sound, such
The narrator says he is not mad. He intends to as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton; beat-
prove hes healthy by showing how calmly I can tell ing of the old mans heart; and the beating of a
you the whole story. drum.
INTERPRET INTERPRET
Possible response: The narrators reaction to the old Possible response: When he thinks he hears the beat-
man is strangethe narrator is obssessed with the ing of the old mans heart, the narrator might be
old mans eye. hearing his own heart.
Copyright by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

The idea that enters the narrators brain is to take Page 179
the life of the old man and thus rid myself of the eye
RETELL
forever.
Possible retelling: The narrator slowly opens the
Page 175 door. The old man moves; the narrators thumb
slips; the old man calls out; the narrator stays still for
EVALUATE
an hour. The old man sits up listening; the old man
The qualities the narrator mentions that he has, but
groans in terror; the narrator opens the lantern; a
that insane people dont have, include how wisely I
ray falls on the hated eye. The narrator hears the old
proceededwith what cautionwith what fore-
mans heart beating louder. He leaps into the room,
sightwith what dissimulation I went to work.
drags the old man to the floor, and suffocates him
Opinions will vary. Some students will think these
with the bed.
qualities prove his sanity, and some will not.
INTERPRET
PREDICT
Possible responses: Evidence that the narrator is
Predictions will vary. Some students may say that the
mad: his decision to kill a man because he doesnt
narrator will kill the old man because the narrator is
like his eye; his insistence that he hears the old mans
persistent and patient as well as insane. Other stu-
heart beating louder and louder.
dents may say that the narrator is too insane to
manage to kill the old man or that it is just too silly
to kill a man because you dont like his eye.

Answer Key 21
Page 180 and because he was able to carefully plan the
PREDICT murder.
Predictions will vary. Some students may think that 3. Police officers arrive at the narrators door at
the narrator will get away with his crime, but most night. They have come because a neighbor
will probably think his murderous behavior will heard a scream and reported it to the police.
catch up with him. 4. The narrator finally confesses to his crime
because he cant stand the sound of the old
Page 181 mans heartbeat.
INFER
The narrator thinks he hears the murdered old Raymonds Run, page 184
mans heartbeat getting louder and louder.
Possible responses: The sound he hears is simply in Page 185
his imagination, or it is his own heartbeat. IDENTIFY
INTERPRET The narrators main responsibility in life is to look
Answers will vary. Possible response: Poe was trying to after Raymond. Students find out in lines 56: All I
create an impression of horror or terror. have to do in life is mind my brother Raymond,
which is enough.
IDENTIFY
Possible Answers to Skills Practice
Words and phrases in lines 720 that are dialect:
Narrator Evaluation Chart (page 182) any fool can see (line 8); a lot of smart mouths
got lots to say (lines 1011); was minding him
Sanethe narrators insistence on his sanity; his
(line 12); play the dozens (line 14); in my face
careful planning; his ability to recount his story
(line 15).
Madthe narrators decision to kill the old man
whom he loves, because he does not like his eye; Page 186
the narrators hearing the old mans heartbeat
IDENTIFY
before and after he kills him; the narrators
Squeaky is telling the story.
increasing agitation
I believe the narrator is (1) a credible source of IDENTIFY
information because we get the story from him in Squeaky thinks shes going to beat Gretchen this year
spite of his madness; or (2) not a credible source because Gretchen has short legs and freckles. In
of information because he is too emotionally dis- addition, Squeaky says, No one can beat me and
turbed to tell us what really happened. thats all there is to it.

Copyright by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

Page 188
Possible Answers to Skills Review INFER
Students can infer that success does not come easily
Vocabulary and Comprehension (page 183)
for Squeaky, but she is willing to work hard to
A. 1. vexed become successful.
2. wary
3. audacity Page 189
4. refrained MAKE A JUDGMENT
5. vehemently At first, Squeaky thinks about getting out of the
6. suavity girls way and letting them pass. Then Squeaky won-
7. gesticulations ders if she should walk right past them. Finally, she
8. derision thinks about fighting them. Responses will vary as to
9. acute the best plan. Many students will probably think just
10. sagacity letting the girls pass is the best plan.
B. 1. The narrator decides to kill the old man
because the narrator hates the old mans eye.
2. The narrator does not think he is mad
because he is able to recount his whole story

22 The Holt Reader: Teachers Manual