A Madman's Insanity

“True! --nervous --very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad?” This was true, that man was not mad, not insane, he was sane. I believe that man was sane when he killed the old man because he knew exactly what he was doing. The first reason I know he is sane is because according to the confession, “I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire.”(Poe) Why would a madman kill someone he loved? Exactly my point, he was sane, and he knew who he was killing and why he was. A madman wouldn’t know who and why he was killing a person, a madman would just kill and not know why. The man is sane because he killed a man for a purpose. The second reason I know the man is sane is because according to the story, “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!”(Poe) If he is insane he would have not been able to know what to do with the body, he would of simply leave it lying on the floor and flea. However, he didn’t leave the old man there. That man knew precisely what to do with the body and how to hide it. That man is sane. …show more content…
Also, if this man was insane he would of surely forgotten pieces of the old man without notice. However, this man was precise, never left a trace. He also had a plan, his plan to cut the old man's arms and legs off. A mad man would've just left everything and toss the old man in a closet. This man was very wise while hiding the old man’s body. Therefore, this man is