Exploring the Themes of The Tell Tale Heart

The narrator of 'The Telltale Heart' is obsessed with an old man's vulture-like eye. Driven by this obsession, he meticulously plans and executes the murder of the old man. After committing the crime, he hides the body beneath the floorboards. When the police arrive to investigate, the narrator's guilt manifests as he hears the old man's heart beating, leading him to confess.

What does the narrator claim about his mental state at the beginning of the story?

• He is confused.

• He is nervous but not mad.

• He is mad.

• He is calm and collected.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

What specifically about the old man drives the narrator to contemplate murder?

• The old man's voice.

• The old man's eye.

• The old man's wealth.

• The old man's behavior.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

How does the narrator describe his actions towards the old man in the week leading up to the murder?

• He avoided the old man.

• He was indifferent.

• He was hostile and rude.

• He was kinder than ever.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

What does the narrator do every night at midnight?

• He reads a book.

• He opens the old man's door and watches him sleep.

• He talks to the old man.

• He goes for a walk.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

On the eighth night, what causes the old man to wake up?

• A loud noise outside.

• The narrator's thumb slipping on the lantern.

• A sudden gust of wind.

• The old man's own nightmare.

How does the narrator kill the old man?

• By poisoning him.

• By stabbing him.

• By suffocating him with the bed.

• By shooting him.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

What does the narrator do with the old man's body?

• He buries it in the garden.

• He leaves it in the bed.

• He dismembers it and hides it under the floorboards.

• He throws it in the river.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

How does the narrator react when the police arrive?

• He confesses immediately.

• He hides in the attic.

• He calmly invites them in and shows them around.

• He panics and runs away.

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CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

What sound drives the narrator to confess to the murder?

• The sound of footsteps.

• The ticking of a clock.

• The old man's voice.

• The beating of the old man's heart.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

What does the narrator do at the end of the story?

• He escapes from the police.

• He confesses to the murder.

• He faints from exhaustion.

• He continues to deny his guilt.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6