Final answer:
In 'The Tell-Tale Heart,' the narrator asserts his sanity based on the careful planning and execution of his crime, which challenges common notions of madness as chaotic and uncontrollable.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the story The Tell-Tale Heart, the narrator claims he is not mad because he can calmly tell the whole story of how he committed a murder, detailing the methodical and careful way he went about it. His argument is that his meticulous planning and the stealthy actions he took to conceal the crime are not the behaviors of someone who is insane. He believes that madness is associated with a lack of control and recklessness, neither of which he exhibits, according to his own narration.