The Tell Tale Heart Fear Analysis

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Poe creates a common theme of fear and dread within “The Tell Tale Heart.” One way fear and dread is shown is through the narrator. The narrator looks at things with no emotion or empathy. “Pleasantly I heard a slight groan, and I knew it was a groan of mortal terror (Poe 304).” The narrator describes hearing the fear in the old man as pleasant or pleasing, which for most people you would want to show empathy or compassion for someone who is comprised of fear. Still he appears to laugh or chuckle at the old man’s dread as he watched him struggle with fear. Therefor the narrator could be considered a madman. Continually going back and forth though emotions is something the narrator does a lot. At one point of the story he talks highly about