The Tell-Tale Heart”

Part I:
First watch the short biography of Edgar Allan Poe. After you read “The Tell-Tale Heart” pp. 36-40, provide a
response to the following questions:
From what point of view is Poe’s story told? Why is this point of view particularly effective for “The Tell-Tale
Heart”?
Point to details in the story that identify its speaker as unreliable.
What do we know about the old man in the story? What motivates the narrator to kill him?
In spite of all precautions, the narrator does not commit the perfect crime. What trips him up?
How do you account for the police officers chatting calmly with the murderer instead of reacting to the sound
that stirs the murderer into a frenzy?
After you watch the biography, discuss what you learned about Edgar Allan Poe.
Part II:
Read “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe . (Note: The short story is available online. For your
convenience, I included a link. However, if the link does not work, just Google a .pdf version of the story. Or if
you prefer, you may locate a printed copy of this story in your local library or the Rothrock Library at our main