Le coeur de Tell-Tale par Edgar Allan Poe

A Quick Synopsis of “The Tell-Tale Heart” (Contains Plot Spoilers)

The story begins with the unnamed narrator wanting to prove his sanity to the readers. He lived in the same building as an old man with a “vulture eye”. As the story progresses, the reader learns that the narrator has become upset by the old man’s eye, which is a piercing blue color, with a white film over it. Tension builds as the narrator describes how his obsession has taken over, and he plots to kill the old man to get rid of the eye's gaze. Each night, the narrator goes into the old man’s room as he sleeps, intending to kill him. He cannot do it when the man is asleep, because his eyes are shut, and he looks peaceful. One night, the narrator creeps in and startles the old man, who screams. As the narrator glares at the eye, he finally musters the strength to rid himself of the eye and smothers the old man with his mattress. The narrator meticulously hides the body under the floorboards.

Soon after, the police arrive because a neighbor heard a scream. The narrator covers up the incident by saying the old man is out of town, and that the scream came from him. As the police are looking around, the narrator begins to hear a peculiar ticking sound; he quickly becomes mad as the sound grows fiercer in his mind. To the narrator, he believes he is hearing the sound of the old man’s heart still beating, finally leading him to confess in a moment of insanity.

Essential Questions for “The Tell-Tale Heart”

1. What are ways that an author can build suspense?
2. How do effective writers create mood in their short stories?

Other Lesson Plan Ideas

1. Use storyboards to specifically show cause and effect in "The Tell-Tale Heart".
2. Create a storyboard just depicting the rising action to demonstrate how the author built suspense.
3. Add a presentation to any storyboard project.

Foire aux Questions sur le Cœur Révélateur par Edgar Allan Poe

Qui est le personnage principal de « The Tell-Tale Heart » ?

Le narrateur de l'histoire et le personnage principal ne sont jamais entièrement identifiés. Son insistance sur leur propre santé mentale et leur récit méticuleux, voire obsessionnel, du crime qu'ils ont commis le distinguent. Les étudiants peuvent se concentrer davantage sur l’état d’esprit et la personnalité du narrateur plutôt que sur son apparence physique et ses antécédents pour comprendre ses motivations et ses objectifs.

Quel conflit est au cœur de « The Tell-Tale Heart » ?

La bataille intérieure que mène le narrateur est le conflit principal du roman. Entre son besoin de démontrer sa santé mentale et ses remords pour le crime qu'il a perpétré, il est partagé. Les étudiants peuvent discuter des tendances sociopathes du narrateur et des raisons pour lesquelles il se débat avec lui-même.

Pourquoi le narrateur de « The Tell-Tale Heart » désire-t-il assassiner le vieil homme ?

L'œil de vautour du vieil homme est au centre de l'attention du narrateur, qu'il trouve révoltant et interprète comme un signe de la dépravation du vieil homme. En fin de compte, sa fixation les conduit au meurtre.