Author’s Note: As an
assignment to analyze different points of views in “The Tell-Tale Heart” by
Edgar Allan Poe, we were asked to look at the character’s point of view and
make a decision as to whether or not they are reliable. By looking at the text
evidence I found, I can infer that this character is not reliable; I found that
he is insane and has lots of psychological issues—maybe just one more reason
why this narrator should not be trusted. Our character’s point of view really
sets up the whole story, though. His madness creates the interpretation of the
piece as many things that he tells us he sees, aren’t all that or aren’t there
at all.
While the craziness
from one character’s point of view is on one side, there are always other
characters that see the same situation in a different way. “The Tell-Tale
Heart,” is based off of the murder of an old man—the murder probably seemed
different to the victim rather than the criminal. If the story was being
narrated by the criminal, you might initially think that the piece is about an
old man who had done wrong, and the criminal is fixing that. If the story was
being told through the victim’s eyes though, you may change your logic.
To portray this
theory, I am re-writing “The Tell-Tale Heart” in the eyes of the old man.
My butler had always dutifully fulfilled my
requests as I silently retreated to my chamber. Every day, every night, the
norm was as such. Always complete thy
duties, and thy shall be rewarded. And oh, did I reward that young fellow.
Pounds by pounds, I paid the man with gold, money, and, perhaps most
importantly, my trust. Although, my trust is something I gave up too easily, it
is why I am here in the first place.
Things
began to change the day the young lad gained knowledge about my “evil eye.” It
is said that those in which possessed “evil eye” would harm you greatly if
looked into their gaze. Though I had believed the thought to simply be a myth,
I cannot think of any other reason why I might have deserved this.
My butler’s kindness shown through him that
week as he had begun to check up on me nightly around the striking of twelve to
make sure that I had not been harmed; recent burglaries were increasing my
awareness and cautious greatly. That was my thinking then. In theory, those doing more work should
deserve more shillings, so I made sure to pay the man much when pay day came
around. I had thought he deserved this reward, although now, I can only think
of regret.
Perhaps it was just the trick of
the light, but whenever I was calling him for duties, I would always catch him
staring at me, at my eye. I simply could not bear to face the fact that my
butler, the one I had ever-so-greatly trusted had believed the rumors, so I
covered this blemish by paying him even more for his service. Even after
increases in wage, I could not get my butler to stop glancing at my eye. I
realize now, that this should have been the first red flag that went up in my
head.
The night that everything changed
for the worse, I was lying in my bed, fast asleep, until I heard my door creak.
There was no other possible explanation, I knew this sound well. I bolted
straight up in bed crying, “Who’s there?” Even with no response, no movement,
and no other sounds, I sensed presence in my chamber. I should have gotten up to
investigate this odd sensation, but I froze where I was and sat there for more
than an hour.
It was then that he struck. After a
long while of waiting for action, I had slowly drifted off to sleep again,
giving my butler the perfect opportunity to make his move. I knew what was
happening even though I seemed sleeping. I sensed it in a way indescribable.
I vowed to myself that my heartbeat
would haunt him forever, cursing him for where I am now, even though I believe
myself to be above.
