Kate Trombino
ENG3U1-31
Mr. Weinbren
September 17, 2014
“The Tell Tale Heart” & “The Fruit at the Bottom of the Bowl”
When committing wrongful actions, one may not always be able to keep calm. Further, this statement is proven true in Edgar Allan Poe’s, “The Tell Tale Heart”, as well as Ray Bradbury’s, “The Fruit at the Bottom of the Bowl”. To expand, in Poe’s story, the protagonist observes his sleeping victim every night before killing him. On the eighth night of this, he goes forth and murders the ‘old man’, leaving no evidence behind except their screams. Hearing the noise, police come to question the main character, who eventually cracks from the guilt and paranoia felt. Further, in Bradbury’s story, the protagonist, William Acton, murders …show more content…
To begin, the protagonist in “The Tell Tale Heart”, once again is spying into the room of the soon to be killed old man. Being the middle of the night, he notes how “[The] room was as black as pitch with the thick darkness…” (Poe, 1). The dark feel present in this scene symbolizes part of the main character, all of which is similar to the symbolism that is seen in “The Fruit at the Bottom of the Bowl”. To expand, after killing Huxley, Acton begins to see evidence of ‘fingerprints’ all over the belongings and walls of the large house. After frantically cleaning the mansion of the fingerprints, “He cried[s] out. He…[forgot] to wash the fourth wall of the room!” (Bradbury, 5). The symbolism portrayed in the two stories assists in the build up of suspense. Further, in Poe’s story, the dark atmosphere and feel in the house, symbolizes the dark and evil mindset of the protagonist leading up to the murder. This dark personality that is symbolized creates a suspenseful feel, as the reader does not know what the character will do next. Likewise, the ‘fingerprints’ William Acton sees contaminating Huxley’s home, are symbolic of the traces of guilt he feels after killing his acquaintance. This guilty feeling leads to the build up of suspense as once again the reader is on edge wondering what the protagonist will do in order to get rid of the regret he feels. In conclusion, the symbolism present in the short stories creates a suspenseful feel for the
ENG3U1-31
Mr. Weinbren
September 17, 2014
“The Tell Tale Heart” & “The Fruit at the Bottom of the Bowl”
When committing wrongful actions, one may not always be able to keep calm. Further, this statement is proven true in Edgar Allan Poe’s, “The Tell Tale Heart”, as well as Ray Bradbury’s, “The Fruit at the Bottom of the Bowl”. To expand, in Poe’s story, the protagonist observes his sleeping victim every night before killing him. On the eighth night of this, he goes forth and murders the ‘old man’, leaving no evidence behind except their screams. Hearing the noise, police come to question the main character, who eventually cracks from the guilt and paranoia felt. Further, in Bradbury’s story, the protagonist, William Acton, murders …show more content…
To begin, the protagonist in “The Tell Tale Heart”, once again is spying into the room of the soon to be killed old man. Being the middle of the night, he notes how “[The] room was as black as pitch with the thick darkness…” (Poe, 1). The dark feel present in this scene symbolizes part of the main character, all of which is similar to the symbolism that is seen in “The Fruit at the Bottom of the Bowl”. To expand, after killing Huxley, Acton begins to see evidence of ‘fingerprints’ all over the belongings and walls of the large house. After frantically cleaning the mansion of the fingerprints, “He cried[s] out. He…[forgot] to wash the fourth wall of the room!” (Bradbury, 5). The symbolism portrayed in the two stories assists in the build up of suspense. Further, in Poe’s story, the dark atmosphere and feel in the house, symbolizes the dark and evil mindset of the protagonist leading up to the murder. This dark personality that is symbolized creates a suspenseful feel, as the reader does not know what the character will do next. Likewise, the ‘fingerprints’ William Acton sees contaminating Huxley’s home, are symbolic of the traces of guilt he feels after killing his acquaintance. This guilty feeling leads to the build up of suspense as once again the reader is on edge wondering what the protagonist will do in order to get rid of the regret he feels. In conclusion, the symbolism present in the short stories creates a suspenseful feel for the