Joslyn P. Gipson Professor Name Hay Richard Class: English 12/21/2023 The-Tell-Tale-Heart Thesis Statement: The narrator’s unknown disease drives him further into madness. In the first paragraph, the narrator talks about how his disease has enhanced his senses, and claims he hears things no one else can. “ The disease had sharpened my senses – not dulled them. Above all was the sense of acute hearing. I heard all things in the heavens and in the earth. I heard many things in hell. How, then, am I mad? “. And throughout the story, it shows that, and how his disease caused him to do horrible things. PARAGRAPH 1 At the beginning of the story, the narrator constantly tries to convince the reader, and possibly himself, that he isn’t mad, that he
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Yet the sound increased—and what could I do? It was a low, dull, quick sound -- much such a sound as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I gasped for breath -- and yet the officers heard it not. I talked more quickly --more vehemently -- but the noise steadily increased. I arose and argued about trifles, in a high key and with violent gesticulations; but the noise steadily increased. Why would they not be gone? I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to fury by the observations of the men -- but the noise steadily increased. Oh, God. What can I do about this? I foamed --I raved --I swore! I swung the chair upon which I had been sitting, and grated it upon the boards, but the noise arose over all and continually increased. It grew louder --louder --louder! And still the men chatted, and smiled. Was it possible they didn't hear? Almighty God! Thank you for sharing! No, no, no, no! They heard a lot about it! they suspected - they suspected! they knew. they knew! they were making a mockery of my horror! This I thought, and this I think. But nothing was better than this agony! Anything is more tolerable than this derision! I could bear those hypocritical smiles no longer! I felt like I must scream or die! and now again – again! i.e. a hark! louder than the snare! louder than the snare! louder than the snare! louder than the snare! –”. The
Yet the sound increased—and what could I do? It was a low, dull, quick sound -- much such a sound as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I gasped for breath -- and yet the officers heard it not. I talked more quickly --more vehemently -- but the noise steadily increased. I arose and argued about trifles, in a high key and with violent gesticulations; but the noise steadily increased. Why would they not be gone? I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to fury by the observations of the men -- but the noise steadily increased. Oh, God. What can I do about this? I foamed --I raved --I swore! I swung the chair upon which I had been sitting, and grated it upon the boards, but the noise arose over all and continually increased. It grew louder --louder --louder! And still the men chatted, and smiled. Was it possible they didn't hear? Almighty God! Thank you for sharing! No, no, no, no! They heard a lot about it! they suspected - they suspected! they knew. they knew! they were making a mockery of my horror! This I thought, and this I think. But nothing was better than this agony! Anything is more tolerable than this derision! I could bear those hypocritical smiles no longer! I felt like I must scream or die! and now again – again! i.e. a hark! louder than the snare! louder than the snare! louder than the snare! louder than the snare! –”. The