“The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allen Poe 

BEFORE READING

Author Biography

Edgar Allen Poe (1809-1849) was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Orphaned at 

an early age, he was taken in by a wealthy family in Virginia. During his life, Poe 

endured personal tragedies, including the death of his mother, a difficult stay in 

his foster home, a college career shortened by debts and misconduct, the death 

of his wife at a young age, and years of poverty. These tragedies influenced 

Poe’s writing so that his short stories were filled with horror. He believed that a 

short story should be written to produce a single emotional effect for the reader: 

all events, characters, ideas, and words should be chosen and manipulated 

solely for the purpose of achieving this effect. “The Tell-Tale Heart” is one of the 

best examples of Poe’s tales of terror. 

Literary Focus: 

Atmosphere and MoodThe atmosphere or mood of a story is the overall emotional 

feeling created by the details the author uses: Sometimes you may be able to 

describe the atmosphere in a single word – sad, frightening, or mysterious, for 

example. Authors create atmosphere by their descriptions of settings, characters, 

and events. They choose words carefully so that you will be affected by their 

writing in the way they want you to be. 

Knowing the following words will help you as you read “The TellTale Heart.” Before reading, preview the words and what they mean. It may also 

VOCABULARY 

help if you scan through the story, find, and then underline the words in the text.

WORD

DEFINITION WORD

Acute sensitive over-acuteness

foresight thoughtful regard for the future concealment

dissimulation

the hiding of one’s feelings or purposes waned

vexed

troubled, distressed, caused agitation scantlings

profound

seeing beyond what is obvious suavity

sagacity sound judgment bade

hearkening

awe a mixed feeling of reverence, fear, and wonder reposed

crevice a narrow opening gesticulations

distinctness unmistakable, clearly defined derision

Irony

Verbal Irony-occurs when there is a difference between what a character says 

and what another character understands

Ex. "The cake is as soft as concrete" - the person wants to tell that the cake is not so soft to eat. 

 "Water is as clear as mud" - The person actually says that the water is not at all clear. 

  "Isn't it as pleasant as a root canal?" - This implies that whatever occurred was not pleasant at 

all. 

Example from Tell-Tale Heart:

(Hint: what does the narrator say about himself?)

1.

Situational Irony when the opposite of what one would expect to happen 

actually happens

Ex. My dog Lucky was hit by a car.

Example from Tell-Tale Heart: The narrator was never kinder to the old man then in the week before he killed him.  

2.

Dramatic Irony : when the reader/audience knows something that a character 

doesn’t

Ex. 

giving careful attention audacity

Example from Tell-Tale Heart: The heart beat that tells the reader that the character is feeling guilt.

3.

4.   How does an author use sensory details to describe the atmosphere or mood of a short story? pail blue eye with the film is a good example because it drives the narrator mad. 

5.  In what ways do our choice of words create specific atmosphere and 

characterization?  the choice of words makes a image in your mind. details. 

III. Literary Elements

6. Mood, or atmosphere, is the overall feeling in the story. How would you describe the mood in this story? What details does Poe use to create the mood? dark and jumpy a manic . When the story first starts the narrator repeats himself often and talks fast.  

7. Symbolism: What does the heartbeat noise symbolize in the story? Provide evidence from the story. The old man and how the narrator is going mad with guilt. I felt that I must scream or die!—and now—again!—

hark! louder! louder! louder! louder!— 

“Villains!” I shrieked, “dissemble no more! I admit the 

deed!—tear up the planks!—here, here!—it is the beating of 

his hideous heart!” 

8. How does first paragraph foreshadow, or hint at, the events of the story? Be specific (use a quote)!It shows that he is nervous and good at hearing.  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.

9. The final paragraph in the story builds to a kind of mad climax. How does the writer use words and punctuation to create? he uses dashes and semi colons to continue thoughts  

10.  What does the narrator repeatedly claim about himself? Why?
That he isnt mad, because he is mad. 


“The Black Cat” 

11.  An allusion is a reference to a person, place, or thing.  What allusion exists in the story?  that the cat's name was pluto. 

12.  From what point of view is the story told?  What effect does this create? first person, that you are looking through the eyes of the narrator 

13.  What’s the significance of the title animal?  Explain. black cat, is bad luck and his wife believes that the cat is bad luck, also the cat's name is pluto which is the greek word for Hades. 

14.  What foreshadowing could you find in the story?  cat's name is pluto which is the greek word for Hades. that the wife thinks it bad luck, that he has loves animals his whole life. and that he is kind to animals 

15.  What similarities do you see in this story and “The Tell-Tale Heart.” both narrators feel guilty in a way that they almost want to get caught, the police have to rip up parts of houses to get to the bodies 

the cask

1.  Edgar Allan Poe's gothic tale, “The cask of Amontillado”, is really a story

about the loss of face, or "amor propio".

What is the expression in your language for the loss of face? Preserve one's dignity  What other

English words come to mind when you think of the word "face" in this sense? Good reputation, appearance, and makeup.  

The Insult

2.  How did Fortunato cause Montresor to lose face in the story? Losing his dignity over wine.   

The third paragraph of the story appears in full below. Read it carefully and try

to

imagine how Fortunato might have insulted Montresor.

"He had a weak point—this Fortunato—although in other regards he was a man to be

respected and even feared. He prided himself on his connoisseurship in wine. Few

Italians have the true virtuoso spirit. For the most part their enthusiasm is adopted to suit

the time and opportunity to practice imposture upon the British and Austrian millionaires.

In painting and gemmary Fortunato, like his countrymen, was a quack, but in the matter of

old wines he was sincere. In this respect I did not differ from him materially;—I was skillful in

the Italian vintages myself, and bought largely whenever I could."

3.  Does Montresor seem to have much respect for Italians?  No Which lines in the

paragraph above reveal his contempt? “For the most part their enthusiasm is adopted to suit

the time and opportunity to practice imposture upon the British and Austrian millionaires.

In painting and gemmary Fortunato, like his countrymen, was a quack”

4.  What was Fortunato's insult? “You are no mason”

5.  Why does Montresor entertain Fortunato with wines from his collection? To get him drunk and unaware of what was going to happen.  

6.  In what two ways does Montresor imprison Fortunato? He shackles him up, and builds the stone and mortar wall.

The story, The Cask of Amontillado, first appeared in an anthology of Poe's

stories entitled Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque. Arabesque comes from the

word Arab and refers to ornaments, decorations and motifs in Arabic art, where

figures of flowers, fruits and sometimes animal outlines appear in elaborate

patterns of interlaced lines, particularly those which have been borrowed by

other cultures. Such arabesque patterns are reflected in some of the designs and

motifs of the batik of Indonesia and Malaysia.

By analogy, then, an arabesque story is one of intricate design, which is told

through the use of fanciful language. Because arabesque graphic designs

sometimes depict fantastic creatures, Poe and others also applied this term to

tales that dealt with fantastic or supernatural happenings. Grotesque refers to

something distorted, ugly, abnormal, fantastic, or bizarre to the point of being

ludicrous or absurd. In a grotesque story, characters are physically or

psychologically deformed and engage in actions that may be abnormal or

comically absurd.

7.  In what ways is The Cask of Amontillado grotesque?

Fortuneato was being psychologically tortured as he was being chained to the wall, he laughs thinking it was a joke and the bells ring from his hat.  

8.  First, which of Montresor's actions are abnormal?

He vows to get even and does not speak of it. He is doing this because he feels insulted.

9.  Is there anything grotesque about Fortunato?

His bells always ring from his hat even when he is being chained. Also the bones that were thrown to the ground.

Humor Hunt

There are also numerous comic touches that Poe adds to this grotesque tale. Try

to find 10 examples of Poe's use of grotesque humor. Follow this trail of humor

chronologically through the story.

•Fortunato's name means lucky in Italian. This is ironic language play, as he was

hardly the lucky one in this story.

•Fortunato is dressed in a court jester's or fool's garb, complete with striped

outfit

and cap and bells.

•The jingling of the bells of the cap in the catacombs.

•Montresor's exaggerated concern for Fortunato's health.

•A joke: Not knowing Montresor plans to kill him, Fortunato says, I shall not die

of

a cough. To which Montresor replies, True-true.

•Pun: Montresor telling Fortunato he is a mason. (Fortunato was referring to

members of the society of Freemasons). Montresor reveals the trowel (a tool

used to apply mortar or cement) which he will use to build the wall which

entombs Fortunato.

•Fortunato's drunken condition.

•Fortunato bumping into the dead end of the niche where he will be entombed

and then looking bewildered.

•Fortunato's delirious laughter at the end.

•Another pun: Let us be gone. Montresor repeats Fortunato's words, not saying

that they shall leave together, but that Fortunato will be gone from this life.

END INVISOTEXT

POE ON SHORT STORIES

Many critics consider Poe to be the father of the modern short story. He was the

first writer to define the short story as a distinct literary form. In a review of

Nathaniel Hawthorne's anthology, Twice-Told Tales in Graham's Magazine, May

1842, he described his personal theory on how to construct a "tale":

5 rules of short story writing following Poe's principles

Try to make a list of 5 rules for writing a short story as implied in Poe's essay. A

keyword has been given below to help with scanning

"A skillful literary artist has constructed a tale. If wise, he has not fashioned his thoughts to

accommodate his incidents: but having conceived, with deliberate care, a certain unique

or single effect to be wrought out, he then invents such incidents—he then combines

such events as may best aid him in establishing this preconceived effect. If his very initial

sentence tends not to the outbringing of this effect, then he has failed in his first step. In

the whole composition there should be no work written, of which the tendency, direct or

indirect, is not to the one pre-established design. And by such means, with such care and

skill, a picture is at length painted which leaves in the mind of him who contemplates it with

a kindred art, a sense of the fullest satisfaction."

1. not writing on past/beleifs

2. event

3. topic scentence

4. plot

5. leave reader with one emotion