WorksheetsTell-Tale Heart and Point of View
Total questions: 20
Worksheet time: 30mins
The author builds suspense by--
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
What is true about the narrator?
the narrator is not a madman
the narrator won’t be able to kill the old man
the narrator does not understand his own madness and insanity
the old man is aware of the narrator’s evil plans
Where does the narrator hide the old man's corpse?
In the closet
He buries it in the floorboards.
He buries it in the yard.
He dumps it in the river.
Who wrote this story?
Roald Dahl
Charles Dickens
Edgar Allan Poe
Emily Bronte
TRUE!—nervous—very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad? 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. How, then, am I mad? Hearken! and observe how healthily—how calmly I can tell you the whole story.
It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night. Object there was none. Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye! yes, it was this! He had the eye of a vulture—a pale blue eye, with a film over it. 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 forever.
"The Tell Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe
Based on the excerpt, how reliable is the narrator?
The narrator is reliable because he explains that he is not mad, just logically trying to solve a problem.
The narrator is unreliable, claiming he is not mad when his actions clearly indicate that he cannot be trusted.
The narrator is somewhat reliable because he is aware of his own instability and solves a problem with a logical solution.
The narrator is unreliable because he has a disease, and his actions are motivated by this disease not logic.
What quotation from the text best supports your answer?
"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. How, then, am I mad? Hearken! and observe how healthily—how calmly I can tell you the whole story."
"It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night."
"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 forever."
"Object there was none. Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold, I had no desire."
Read the excerpt from "The Tell-Tale Heart" then answer the question.
Now, this is the point. You fancy me mad. Madmen know nothing. But you should have seen me. You should have seen how wisely I proceeded—with what caution—with what foresight—with what dissimulation I went to work! I was never kinder to the old man than during the whole week before I killed him.
"The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe
What does the repetition of the phrase “with what” reveal about the narrator?
It emphasizes that the narrator is mad and cannot think or speak clearly.
It emphasizes that the narrator took care in committing his crime.
It emphasizes that the narrator hesitated in completing the murder.
It emphasizes that the narrator feels guilty about the action he is about to take.
Read the excerpt from "The Tell-Tale Heart" then answer the question.
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 blood-spot whatever. I had been too wary for that. A tub had caught all—ha! ha!
"The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe
What is the meaning of the word concealment as it is used in the text?
burial
hiding
dismembered
disgusting
What sound does the narrator hear while the police are at the house?
the ticking of his watch
distant waves crashing
his neighbor screaming
his beating heart
Which statement best states the theme of the story?
You are only insane if you believe it.
A guilty conscience is a difficult thing to bear.
Growing old can be difficult.
Relationships are built on trust.
― Jacqueline Woodson, Peace, Locomotion
As I grazed in the field, I realized that there were not any other animals around. I had a weird feeling that something was wrong. The other animals that are usually making noises are all silent. I see a shadow up in a tree. I think that is is unsafe here, so I am going to run away.
From what point of view is the passage written?
First person
Second person
Third person
he, she, they, them, (character's names)
Which point of view is the narrator "all-knowing" on the thoughts and feelings of all the characters?
First person
Third person limited
Third person objective
Third person omniscient
As I grazed in the field, I realized that there were not any other animals around. I had a weird feeling that something was wrong. The other animals that are usually making noises are all silent. The rustling from my hooves are the only sound. I see a shadow up in a tree. I feel afraid and uneasy. I think that is is unsafe here, so I am going to run away.
From what/whose perspective is the passage written?
A hunter
An animal looking for friends
An animal being hunted
Q. Which point of view is when the narrator only knows the thoughts and feelings of ONE character?
Second person
Third person objective
Third person limited
Third person omniscient
