The Tell Tale Heart Flashcard

Front

Why is the narrator upset with the police at the end of the story?

Back

He thinks that they are making fun of him.

Front

What did the narrator call the old man's eye?

Back

A vulture eye.

Front

The author creates suspense by describing the old man's heartbeat as the sound of a-

Back

Watch's ticking.

Front

To vex is to

Back

Annoy.

Front

What does the narrator say that madness has done to him?

Back

Sharpened his senses.

Front

What is the main theme of 'The Tell-Tale Heart'?

Back

The effects of guilt and the nature of madness.

Front

How does the narrator describe his mental state?

Back

He claims that madness has sharpened his senses.

Front

What literary device is primarily used in 'The Tell-Tale Heart' to create tension?

Back

Suspense.

Front

What does the heartbeat symbolize in the story?

Back

The narrator's guilt and anxiety.

Front

What is the significance of the old man's eye in the story?

Back

It represents the narrator's irrational fears and obsessions.