Reflective Response - "The Telltale Heart" - A response paper describing the situation in the story.

Poe, Edgar Allen. "The Tell-Tale Heart." Retellings: A Thematic Literature Anthology. Eds. Clarke, M.B. and A.G. Clarke. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2004. 404-407. The narrator of "The Tell-Tale Heart" insists that he is not mad, but his actions and narrative voice seem to indicate otherwise. What evidence of madness do you find in his behavior? His style? As you are thinking about the latter, you might want to pay special attention to the metaphors he uses …

…is interesting to note is the lack of speech in the work. At no point throughout is there any conversation between any of the portrayed characters, until the last lines where the villain confesses. It is as if a silent movie was being watched and in the last lines sound was introduced. This could in fact be Poe's way of showing the guilt overtaking the victim until resistance was futile and his will was shattered.