“The Tell Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe

"The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe

Character Motivation: Calculated Killer or Mentally Insane?

Directions: As you read the "The Tell-Tale Heart," write down specific details/lines from the text that show the narrator's motivation for killing the old man, then telling on himself. Then, check the appropriate box that corresponds with his motivation and how it is shown.

Details from Text

Paragraph #

1

Calculated Killer

Actions

Word Choice

Mentally Insane

Actions

Word Choice

3

2

12

x

Details from Text

If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body. The night waned, and I worked hastily, but in silence. First of all I dismembered the corpse. I cut off the head and the arms and the legs. I then took up three planks from the flooring of the chamber, and deposited all between the scantlings. I then replaced the boards so cleverly, so cunningly, that no human eye -not even his --could have detected anything wrong. There was nothing to wash out --no stain of any kind --no bloodspot whatever.

Paragraph #

13

Calculated Killer

Actions

Word Choice

15/16

Mentally Insane

Actions

Word Choice

19

17/18

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download