Final answer:
The beating heart in Poe's 'The Tell-Tale Heart' represents the narrator's guilt, symbolizing the psychological turmoil and unwavering conscience following a murder. So the correct answer is option B.
Step-by-step explanation:
In “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe, the beating heart that the narrator hears symbolizes guilt. This auditory hallucination reflects the narrator's psychological turmoil after committing a murder. While he attempts to project confidence and sanity, the relentless beating becomes a symbolic manifestation of his conscience and the guilt that he cannot escape, constantly reminding him of his deed.