Class Zone: The Language of Literature

"The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe

Overview

The narrator of Edgar Allan Poe's chilling tale of horror is obsessed with the appearance of an elderly man. He begins to break into the man's home at night to spy on him. Eventually the narrator kills the defenseless man and dismembers his body before hiding it beneath the floor boards. The story is narrated in the past tense by the imprisoned murderer who perceives his actions as perfectly rational.

Issues

This story addresses

cruelty violence,
mental illness,
obsessive behavior.

Instructional Focus

To encourage students to identify and examine

resources for coping with inappropriate feelings methods for finding helpful resources
appropriate methods of resolving internal conflicts

Activities

Oral Reading
Read the story aloud. Pause to identify emotions that result in inappropriate actions. Have students suggest the possible consequences of each. After the reading, ask students to identify alternative reactions that may have resulted in a more favorable, less violent outcome.

Class Discussion
Use the following questions as springboards to solutions:

Examine the first sentence of the story. The narrator seems to be responding to the accusation that he is insane. What evidence does he provide that he is not insane? What does this argument reveal about the narrator?
In his description of the events that led him to murder, the narrator says, "and so by degrees--very gradually--I made up my mind to take the life of the old man. . ." Consider the statement and discuss its implications. Was the narrator aware of his inappropriate feelings? If so, when did the narrator first begin noticing them? Could he have done something at that point that might have helped him avoid committing the crime?
Throughout the tale, the narrator seems to be keenly aware of his own thinking. Find examples of this and consider the value of such awareness. Why is it important to be aware of what is shaping your perceptions and your actions? What is the value in examining your own feelings?

Journal
In the beginning of the story, the narrator begins retelling the tale in order to disspute the accusation that he is insane. Have students write in their journals about a time when someone tried to persuade them that something they initially thought was wrong was right? Ask: What persuasive techniques did they use to try to persuade you to accept their point of view? Were these strategies effective? What finally persuaded you to agree or disagree with their point of view? What did you learn about your own decision-making powers from that experience?

Elder Abuse
One issue this story raises is the abuse of elderly people. Have students research books, newspaper articles, and Web sites on this issue. Then have students share their findings with a small group.

Real World Connection

Have students explore careers in mental health. Have them find a profession within a specific field of mental health and create a collage, illustrating where these professionals work, what they do in this setting, and what specific problems or issues members of their field deal with. Prompt them by asking what professionals within the school or community they could contact to begin their research? Then in small groups, have students generate questions they could ask in an interview with this professional. After encouraging students to contact professionals within the school and community, extend this activity by having students brainstorm a list of keywords that will help them navigate the library and the Internet more efficiently in order to continue their research. Evaluate their final product based on thoroughness, clarity, and presentation.