To begin, Edgar Allan Poe uses symbolism in his short story to create suspense. The narrator hears the beating of the heart, although it actually represents how nervous he is as a result of his crime. An excerpt from the text states, “It grew louder - louder - louder! And still the men chatted pleasantly, and smiled. Was it possible they heard not? Almighty God - no, no! They heard! - they suspected! - they knew! - they were making a mockery of my horror!” This is showing how nervous the narrator felt when the police officers came to make sure everything was normal. He was all right at first, but then his guilt flooded back when he heard a heartbeat, yet he never perceived that it was only him hearing it. Also, Poe symbolizes the old man’s eye as the narrator’s flaws and traits. In the story, the text states, “He had …show more content…
Suspense about the characters, suspense about the plot; everything was a mystery to the reader. The narrator’s every step brought suspense, especially when he became involved with the beating of the heart. Towards the end of the story, the author leaves readers constantly wondering as the suspense is increasing - What will happen to the characters, or how will they end up? These are questions that readers often find themselves asking, although the most common question asked is simply what will happen