My Tell-Tale Heart

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.