allows readers to understand each character’s point of view

helps to explain how the characters are related to each other

gives readers insight into the narrator’s mental instability

illustrates how the old man treats the narrator every day

I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to fury by the observation of men—but the noise steadily increased.

Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me.

. . . . I found the eye always closed; and so it was impossible to do the work. . . . .

. . . . I talked more freely to get rid of the feeling: but it continued and gained definitiveness— until at length, I found that the noise was not within my ears.

I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to fury by the observation of men—but the noise steadily increased.

Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me.

. . . . I found the eye always closed; and so it was impossible to do the work. . . . .

. . . . I talked more freely to get rid of the feeling: but it continued and gained definitiveness— until at length, I found that the noise was not within my ears.

Honesty can relieve you of your guilt and help you feel better.

Fear can shape how we see things and how we act.

Our sanity is determined by how we react to different situations.

The truth is a matter of personal perception and beliefs.

“Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees — very gradually — I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye for ever.” (Paragraph 2)

“Yes, he has been trying to comfort himself with these suppositions; but he had found all in vain. All in vain; because Death, in approaching him, had stalked with his black shadow before him, and enveloped the victim.” (Paragraph 7)

“As the bell sounded the hour, there came a knocking at the street door. I went down to open it with a light heart, — for what had I now to fear?” (Paragraph 14)

“I gasped for breath — and yet the officers heard it not. I talked more quickly — more vehemently; but the noise steadily increased.” (Paragraph 17)

The narrator and the old man resent having to live together because of the narrator’s disease, and so the narrator decides to murder the old man.

The narrator is driven mad by the sound of a heart beating beneath the floorboards, and this causes him to kill the old man.

The narrator watches the old man sleep, and when the terrified old man discovers this, the narrator kills him to keep his madness hidden.

The narrator is terrified of the old man’s blue eye and overwhelmed by the sound of his heartbeat, so the narrator kills the old man.

“The disease had sharpened my senses — not destroyed — not dulled them. Above all was the sense of hearing acute. I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth. I heard many things in hell.” (Paragraph 1)

“I knew that he had been lying awake ever since the first slight noise, when he had turned in the bed. His fears had been ever since growing upon him.” (Paragraph 7)

“But the beating grew louder, louder! I thought the heart must burst. And now a new anxiety seized me — the sound would be heard by a neighbor! The old man’s hour had come!” (Paragraph 11)

“‘Villains!’ I shrieked, ‘dissemble no more! I admit the deed! — tear up the planks! — here, here! — it is the beating of his hideous heart!’” (Paragraph 18)

It represents the narrator’s own death, like the old man’s, drawing near as he faces punishment for his crime.

It shows there is something supernatural happening to the narrator, for the ghost of the old man is haunting him.

It represents the narrator’s guilt and worsening sanity, for the beating heart serves as a reminder of his crime.

It signifies the narrator’s anxiety about not burying the old man respectfully after killing him.

because he wants them to stop smiling at him and punish him

because he believes they hear the heartbeat and are mocking him

because he wanted to be caught for the crime all along

because he knew that they would find the evidence eventually

He thinks it is the only way to keep the cops from finding the body.

He is boastful of how well he hid the body.

He is worried he will give away the body’s location otherwise.

He is going mad and wants to torture himself with guilt.

It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain.

I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult.

Was it possible they heard not? Almighty God! - no, no! They heard! They suspected! They knew!

I smiled, -- for what had I to fear? I bade the gentlemen welcome.

alive

trapped

threatened

serious

focused

furious

grieving

apathetic

He hears imaginary heartbeats.

He is so careful to hide everything he does.

He kills the old man.

He tries to convince the reader of his sanity.

not revealing what the crime will be

having the narrator watch the sleeping victim for seven nights in a row.

having the narrator explain how clever he is

describing what is done with the victim's body

From love comes sacrifice

Guilt can drive you mad.

With murder comes joy.

Do not trust your elders.

recognize the narrator's insanity

understand the old man's thoughts

compare both of the character's thoughts

understand why the police have come

Happiness

Anger

Despair

Guilt

Convey the importance of the heartbeat sound.

To compare the eye to something associated with death – the vulture.

Personifies the eye so that it becomes a human character.

Exaggerates the ugliness of the eye to influence the reader.

That he did not kill the old man

That he should not be sent to jail

That he is not mad

That the old man had o die