A Tell Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe - StudySync Everyone Loves A Mystery

1. Point of View vs. Perspective

2. Point of View WHO is telling the details, or the vantage point from which a story is told. Three Types: • First Person: • Third Person Limited: • Third Person Omniscient

3. Perspective The narrator’s attitude or beliefs about an event, person, or place based on their experience. Focuses on HOW the story is told?

4. Video Practice Watch & analyze the POV & perspective for practice. Point of View & Narrator's Perspective Lesson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OGMlrRSALY

5. A TELL TALE HEART by Edgar Allan Poe STUDYSYNC EVERYONE LOVES A MYSTERY

6. INTRODUCTION • Poe was the father of the modern mystery. A master of suspense, he wrote works that were often dark and full of horrifying images. Many of his works, like The Raven and The Pit and the Pendulum brought him fame but no fortune. Impoverished and deeply depressed, Poe was found dead on the streets of Baltimore a short two years after his wife fell ill and died. • The works of Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) set the standard for Gothic fiction. “The Tell-Tale Heart” is one of his most famous and widely read stories. Convinced that officers at his house can hear the dead man’s heart beating through the floorboard, Poe’s narrator confesses to killing an old man in his care, despite the fact he bore the man no grudge. In a dramatic monologue of increasing volume and intensity – as well as mental disintegration – the “perfectly sane” murderer painstakingly describes how the “vulture eye” of his victim drove him to commit the horrible act.

7. I can: Identify context clues to determine the meaning of unknown words Cite text evidence that most strongly supports inferences drawn from the text Identify the use of dashes and determine the author’s purpose of using dashes in their writing Engage in collaborative conversations by referring to evidence from text and reflect on ideas from the discussion

8. Critical Content & Skills: Annotation - extra information associated with a particular point in a document or other piece of information. It can be a note that includes a comment or explanation. Annotations are sometimes presented in the margin of book pages.

9. Context clues - hints found within a sentence, paragraph, or passage that a reader can use to understand the meanings of new or unfamiliar words Inference - an idea or conclusion that's drawn from evidence and reasoning. An inference is an educated guess.

10. Textual evidence - Using specific words/phrases from an already published author that helps to prove a statement or to lend credibility to an idea. Dashes - punctuation marks consisting of a long horizontal line. Use dashes to mark the beginning and end of a series, which might otherwise get confused, with the rest of the sentence: Example: The three female characters—the wife, the nun, and the jockey—are the incarnation of excellence. Dashes are also used to mark the interruption of a sentence in dialogue: “Help! This horse is going too fast,” the actor yelled. “I think I am fall—.”

11. Language - a dialect or form of a language that is used in literary writing. Style - the literary element that describes the ways that the author uses words — the author's word choice, sentence structure, figurative language, and sentence arrangement all work together to establish mood, images, and meaning in the text.

12. Audience - The person or people reading the story. Point of view - refers to who is telling or narrating a story. A story can be told from the first person, second person or third person point of view (POV). Writers use POV to express the personal emotions of either themselves or their characters.

13. Tone - the mood implied by an author's word choice and the way that the text can make a reader feel. Dialogue - a written or spoken conversational exchange between two or more people

14. THE STORY…. • True! – nervous – very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad? The disease had sharpened my senses – not destroyed – not dulled 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 healthily – how 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. Object there was none. Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye! Yes. It was this! He had the eye of a vulture – a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold, and so by degrees – very gradually – I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever. Skill: Text-Dependent Responses The narrator claims to love the old man. So why does he want to kill him because of his eye? That’s crazy. The narrator is obsessed!

15. 3. Now this is the point. You fancy me mad. Madmen know nothing. But you should have seen me. You should have seen how wisely I proceeded – with what caution – with what foresight – with what dissimulation 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, closed, that no light shone out, and then I thrust in my head. Oh, you would have laughed to see how cunningly I thrust it in! I moved it slowly – very, very slowly, so that I might not disturb the old man’s 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 well in the room, I undid it just so much that a single thin ray fell upon the vulture eye. And this I did for seven long nights – every night just at midnight – but I found the eye always closed; and so it was impossible to do the work; for it was not the old man who vexed me, but his Evil Eye. And every morning, when the day broke, I went boldly into the chamber, and pole courageously to him, calling him by name in a hearty tone, and inquiring how he has passed the night. So you see he would have been a very profound old man, indeed, to suspect that every night, just at twelve, I looked in upon him while he slept. Skill: Textual Evidence The last highlighted line does not make sense, since he says in the previous paragraph that he liked the old man. How can the narrator be a sane, kind person like he claims to be? If someone kills a person that they like, it usually means they are neither kind nor sane.

16. 4. Upon the eighth night I was more than usually cautious in opening the door. A watch’s minute hand moves more quickly than did mine. Never before that night had I felt the extent of my own powers – of my sagacity. I could scarcely contain my feelings of triumph. To think that there I was, opening the door, little by little, and he not even to dream 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 back – but 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. 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 bed, crying out – “ Who’s there?” I kept quiet still and said nothing. For a whole hour I did not move a muscle, and in the meantime I did not hear him lie down. He was still sitting up in the bed listening; - just as I have done, night after night, hearkening to the death watched in the wall.

17. 5. Presently I heard a slight groan, and I knew it was the groan of mortal terror. It was not a groan of pain or of grief – oh, no! – it was the low stifled sound that arises from the bottom of the soul when overcharged with awe. I knew the sound well. Many a night, just at midnight, when all the world slept, it has welled up from my own bosom, deepening, with its dreadful echo, the terrors that distracted me. I say I knew it well. I knew what the old man felt, and pitied him, although I chuckled at heart. I knew that he had 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 could not. He had been saying to himself –”It is nothing but the wind in which has made a single chirp.” Yes, he had been trying to comfort himself with the supposition: but he had found all in vain. All in vain; because Death, in approaching him had stalked with his black shadow before him, and enveloped the victim. And it was the mournful influence of the unperceived shadow that caused hi to feel – although he neither saw nor heard – to feel the presence of my head within the room.

18. 6. When I had waited a long time, very patiently, without hearing him lie down, I resolved to open a little – a very, very little crevice in the lantern. So I opened it – you cannot imagine how stealthily, stealthily – until, at length a simple dim ray, like the threat of the spider, show from out the crevice and felt full upon the vulture eye. It was open – side, wide open – and I grew furious as I gazed upon it. I saw it with perfect distinctness – all a dull blue, with a hideous veil over it that chilled the very marrow in my bones; but I could see nothing else precisely upon the damned spot. And have I not told you that what you mistake for madness is but over-acuteness of the sense? – 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 man’s heart. It increased my fury, as the beating of a drum stimulates the soldier into courage.

19. 7. But even yet I refrained and kept still. I scarcely breathed. I held the lantern motionless. I tried how steadily I could maintain the ray upon the eye. Meantime the hellish tattoo of the heart increased. It grew quicker and quicker, and louder and louder every instant. The old man’s terror 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 grew louder, louder! I thought the heart must burst. And now a new anxiety seized me – the sound would be heard by a neighbor! The old man’s hour had come! With a loud yell, I threw open the lantern and leaped into the room. 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. But, for many minutes, the heartbeat on with a muffled sound. This, however did not vex me; it would not be heard through the wall. At length it ceased. The old man was dead. I removed bed and examined the corpse. Yes, he was stone, stone dead. I placed my hand upon the heart and held it there many minutes. There was no pulsation. He was stone dead. His eye would trouble me no more.

20. 8. If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body. The night waned, 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 flooring of the chamber, and deposited all between the scantlings. I then replaced the boards so cleverly, so cunningly, that no human eye – not even his – could have detected anything wrong. There was nothing to wash out – no stain of any kind – no blood – spot whatever. I had been too wary for that. A tub had caught all – ha! Ha! When I had made an end of these labors, it was four o’clock – still dark as midnight. As the bell sounded the hour, there came a knocking at the street door. I went down to open it with a light heart, - for what had I now to fear? 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 deputed to search the premises. I smiled, - for 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 search – search well. 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. Skill: Language, Style, and Audience The narrator is still trying to convince us he’s sane. The author uses words like “wise,” “cleverly,” and “cunningly” to describe the narrator’s actions. But he’s talking about hiding the body of a person he just murdered! We can’t trust him. When he laughs at his own cleverness in hiding the body, he seems ad, like a killer in a scary movie.

21. 9. 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, and I fancied a ringing in my ears: but still they sat and still chatted. The ringing became more distinct: - It continued and became more distinct: I talked more freely to get rid of the feeling: but it continued and gained definiteness – until, at length I found that the noise was not within my ears. No doubt I now grew very pale; - but I talked more fluently, and with a heightened voice. Yet the sound increased – and what could I do? It was a low, dull, quick sound – much such a sound as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I gasped for breath – and yet the officers heard it not. I talked more quickly – more vehemently; but the noise steadily increased. I arose and argued about trifles, in a high key and the violent gesticulations; but the noise steadily increased. Oh God! What could I do? I foamed – I raved – I swore! I swung the chair upon which I had been sitting, and grated it upon the boards, but the noise arose over all the continually increased. It grew louder – louder – louder! And still the men chatted pleasantly, and smiled. Was it possible they heard not? Almighty God! – no, no! They heard! – they suspected! – they knew! – they were making a mockery of 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!

22. 10. “Villains!” I shrieked, “dissemble no more! I admit the deed! – tear up the planks! Here, here! – It is the beating of his hideous heart!” The end

23. Dashes Analysis Dashes – Edgar Allan Poe used dashes to add emphasis to his writing style. Let’s review a few of the lines from “Tell Tale Heart” to study this style. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiFvutL6iyo Poe uses dashes to emphasize the importance of the old man's eye. "...that no human eye--not even his--could have detected anything wrong." The narrator is so obsessed with the eye that Poe used dashes to separate "not even his". The narrator found the eye so appalling he almost made the eye sound not human. The dashes emphasis this idea and shows the obsession with the eye is great. The narrator found his eye so important he added a pause (using the dashes). I undid the lantern cautiously—oh, so cautiously—(for the hinges creaked)—I undid it just so much that a single thin ray fell upon the vulture eye (line 26). Questions for discussion: Here Poe uses dashes instead of commas or parenthesis, but then uses both devices between the first two dashes. What does this emphasize? Re-write this sentence keeping the suspense but not the style. And this I did for seven long nights—every night just at midnight—but I found the eye always closed; (line 28). It was open—wide, wide open—and I grew furious as I gazed upon it (line 74). Questions for discussion: How do these two lines, with the use of dashes, contribute to the suspense and style?

24. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfpOMHkYyeg

25. Checklist For Text-Dependent Responses In order to cite textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis, consider the following: • details from the text to make a strong inference or draw a strong conclusion • read carefully and consider why an author gives particular details and information - think about what you already know, and use your own knowledge and experiences to help you figure out what the author does not state directly. - cite textual evidence, or the specific words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs that led you to make an inference • details to support your ideas and opinions about a text • explicit evidence of a character’s feelings or motivations, or the reasons behind a historical event in a nonfiction text - explicit evidence i state directly in the text and must be cited accurately to strongly support a text-dependent answer or analysis To cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis, consider the following questions: • What types of textual evidence can I use to support my analysis of a text? • What explicit evidence can I use to support my analysis? • If I infer things in the text that the author does not state directly, what evidence from the text, along with my own knowledge, can I use to support my analysis? • How do I know that I’ve used textual evidence that offers the strongest support for my analysis?

26. Questions Read the second Think question from the First Read lesson for “The Tell-Tale Heart” and answer the follow-up question below. Then, complete the chart by deciding which evidence from the text reveals when the narrator is trustworthy or untrustworthy. Follow-Up Question Does the narrator seem trustworthy as he gives his account of the events in the story? Cite textual evidence to explain your opinions.

28. Think Questions • Write two or three sentences explaining how the narrator feels about the old man and why he decides to murder him. • Does the narrator seem trustworthy as he gives his account of the events in the story? Cite evidence from the text to explain your opinions. • What sound does the narrator hear at the end of the story that causes him to confess to the murder? Provide evidence to support your inference. • Find the word sufficient in paragraph 3 of “The Tell-Tale Heart.” Use context clues in the surrounding sentences, as well as the sentence in which the word appears, to determine the word’s meaning. Write your definition here and identify clues that helped you figure out its meaning. • Use context clues to determine the meaning of sagacity as it is used in paragraph 4 of “The Tell-Tale Heart.” Write your definition here and identify clues that helped you figure out its meaning. Then check the meaning in a dictionary or google.

29. Checklist For Textual Evidence In order to support an analysis by citing textual evidence that is explicitly stated in the text, do the following: • read the text closely and critically • identify what the text says explicitly • find the most relevant textual evidence that supports your analysis • consider why an author explicitly states specific details and information • cite the specific words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs from the text that support your analysis • cite evidence from the text that most strongly supports your analysis In order to interpret implicit meanings in a text by making inferences, do the following: • combine information directly stated in the text with your own knowledge, experiences, and observations • cite the specific words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs from the text that support this inference In order to cite textual evidence to support an analysis of what the text says explicitly, as well as inferences drawn from the text, consider the following questions: • Have I read the text closely and critically? • What inferences am I making about the text? What textual evidence am I using to support these inferences? • Am I quoting the evidence from the text correctly? • Does my textual evidence logically relate to my analysis? • What textual evidence most strongly supports your analysis?

30. Questions Reread paragraphs 3, 8 and 9 of “The Tell-Tale Heart.” Then, using the Checklist instructions on the previous page, complete the chart below by writing the explicit and implicit meaning of each paragraph. The first one is done for you.

31. Checklist For Language, Style, And Audience In order to determine an author’s style, do the following: • identify and define any unfamiliar words or phrases • use context, including the meanings of surrounding words and phrases • note possible reactions to the author’s word choice • examine your reaction to the author’s word choice • identify any analogies, or comparisons in which one part of the comparison helps explain the other To analyze the impact of specific word choice on the meaning and tone, ask the following questions: • How did your understanding of the language change during your analysis? • How do the writer’s word choices impact or create meaning in the text? • How do the writer’s word choices impact or create a specific tone in the text? • How could various audiences interpret this language? What different possible emotional responses can you list? • What analogies do you see? Where might an analogy have clarified meaning or created a specific tone?

32. Questions 1. What effect do the punctuation choices in paragraphs 9 and 10 have on the tone? • The dashes and exclamation marks reveal that the narrator is losing control • The italics make it clear that the narrator’s word aren’t to be trusted. • The semicolons introduce a formal tone into an informal speech. • The frequent questions reveal the narrator’s attempt to engage the reader. 2. Which phrase from the passage most clearly suggests the narrator’s disturbed mental state at the end of the story? • “but I talked more fluently” • “Why would they not be gone?” • “It grew louder - louder - louder!” • “And still the men chatted pleasantly”

33. Skills Focus • What inferences can you draw about the narrator’s mental state based on the author’s word choices? • What does the author imply about the narrator’s mental state through the descriptions of the narrator’s feelings about how the old man looks at him with the “eye of a vulture”? • Identify word choices the author uses to indicate that the narrator might be losing his mind. How do the word choices and tone indicate the narrator’s troubled mental state? • What language does the author use to make the narrator seem untrustworthy? How does the language reveal the narrator’s dishonest nature? • Explain how the author uses the narrator’s personality to create a feeling of mystery for the reader.

34. Literary Analysis Can the narrator of “The Tell-Tale Heart” be trusted? Consider the author’s word choice, tone and description of events as you draw conclusions about the narrator’s state of mind. Be sure to support your ideas with evidence from the text.

35. WRITTEN RESPONSE Type a written response to this question: How does the narrator feel about the old man and why does he decide to murder him? • First sentence is a strong claim – it shows the answer to the prompt in a clear manner. (3pt) • Answered both parts of the question (2pt) • Used 2 pieces of text evidence (3 points each – total of 6 points) • Explain why those pieces of evidence supported the claim (3 points each – total of 6 points) • Mostly used correct conventions (capitalization and punctuation) (3pt) 20 points