Question

Directions: Read "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe. Then, write down at least 5 words and/or

phrases from the story that connect with the idea of a heart. Put the evidence in the heart.

Answer 1

This answer explains the symbolism of the heart in Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Tell-Tale Heart' and provides five examples from the story that connect with the idea of a heart. The words and phrases used in the story help depict the narrator's guilt and descent into madness.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Tell-Tale Heart and the Symbolism of the Heart

In Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Tell-Tale Heart,' the symbol of the heart is used throughout the story to represent guilt and the narrator's conscience. Here are five words and phrases from the story that connect with the idea of a heart:

1. Evil eye – The narrator's obsession with the old man's eye represents his severe guilt, which he can't ignore.
2. Vulture eye – This phrase is used to describe the eye again, highlighting the narrator's intense discomfort and paranoia.
3. Beating – The narrator repeatedly hears the old man's heart beating, symbolizing his own guilt and fear.
4. Dead – The narrator constantly claims that the old man is dead, but his guilt makes him perceive the old man's life force through the sound of the heartbeat.
5. Madness – The narrator's guilt leads him to madness, as he becomes consumed by the sound of the beating heart.

These words and phrases demonstrate how Poe masterfully uses the heart symbol to convey the narrator's guilt and descent into madness.

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