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      The creation of suspense in 'The Tell-Tale Heart'

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      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can identify the methods used by Poe to create suspense.

      Key learning points

      1. The narrator in the story is extremely hubristic, unreliable and unpredictable because he is delusional.
      2. Poe uses the hubristic and delusional narrator to create suspense.
      3. Poe uses irony to create suspense - the narrator insists that he is not ‘mad’ but his actions suggest otherwise.
      4. Poe shortens his sentences and uses more expressive punctuation to reflect the narrator’s escalating delusion.
      5. Poe uses sentence structure and punctuation to build tension in the lead up to the narrator's dramatic confession.

      Keywords

      • Suspense - a state of feeling anxious or excited about what could happen

      • Hubristic - excessively proud or arrogant

      • Unreliable - not to be relied or depended on

      • Heinous - extremely wicked

      • Irony - the expression of meaning by using language that suggests the opposite of the reality

      Common misconception

      Students might think that irony is a term only used in comedy.

      There is a dark comedy to this story, created through the use of irony, whereby the narrator insists that he is not 'mad' but then proceeds to murder and dismember an old man simply because he hates one of the old man's eyes.

      Teacher tip

      If you have time, it would also be useful to look at how the narrator's violence escalates alongside his delusions, characterising him as highly dangerous and unpredictable.

      Equipment

      You will need access to the short story 'The Tell-Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. You can find a copy of this in the additional materials section of the lesson.

      Content guidance

      Depiction or discussion of serious crime

      Depiction or discussion of mental health issues

      Supervision

      Adult supervision required

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
       except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
       (Collection 2).

      Lesson video

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      Prior knowledge starter quiz

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      6 Questions

      Q1.
      What does the narrator in 'The Tell-Tale Heart' reveal about himself in the first line of the story?

      that he is mad and delusional
      that he has murdered people before
      Correct answer: that he is not mad, but dreadfully nervous
      that he loves the old man
      that he is planning to confess

      Q2.
      Why does the narrator hate the old man in 'The Tell-Tale Heart'?

      because he is richer than him
      because he disturbs him with loud music
      because he is older and wiser than him
      Correct answer: because he has a strange blue eye
      because he was rude to him once

      Q3.
      Hubristic means ...

      excessively intelligent and academic.
      anti-social and withdrawn.
      charismatic and personable.
      Correct answer: excessively proud and arrogant.

      Q4.
      Which of the following words can be used as a synonym for 'suspense'?

      mirroring
      Correct answer: tension
      horror
      amusement

      Q5.
      Complete the quotation from 'The Tell-Tale Heart': "He had the eye of a —a pale blue eye, with a film over it."

      Correct Answer: vulture

      Q6.
      Starting with the first, put the quotations from 'The Tell-Tell Heart' in chronological order.

      1 - "Hearken! and observe how healthily—how calmly I can tell you the whole story."
      2 - "I knew what the old man felt, and pitied him, although I chuckled at heart"
      3 - "There came to my ears a low, dull, quick sound, such as a watch makes"
      4 - "In an instant I dragged him to the floor, and pulled the heavy bed over him."
      5 - "I dismembered the corpse. I cut off the head and the arms and the legs.."
      6 - "The officers were satisfied. My manner had convinced them."
      7 - "Tear up the planks!—here, here!—It is the beating of his hideous heart!”"

      Assessment exit quiz

      Download exit quiz questions (PDF)

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      What is meany by the term 'point of view'?

      the main character's voice
      Correct answer: the perspective the text is told from
      the tone of the narrative voice
      the events that take place in the story

      Q2.
      Which three words best describe the narrator in 'The Tell-Tale Heart'?

      intelligent
      Correct answer: unreliable
      Correct answer: delusional
      sane
      Correct answer: unpredictable

      Q3.
      Which of the following quotations from 'The Tell-Tale Heart' best shows us how dangerous the narrator is?

      “But you should have seen me. You should have seen how wisely I proceeded”
      “They heard!...they knew!—they were making a mockery of my horror!”
      “Ha!—would a madman have been so wise as this?”
      Correct answer: "I knew what the old man felt, and pitied him, although I chuckled at heart."

      Q4.
      In 'The Tell-Tale Heart' Poe uses to create suspense. The narrator insists that he is not 'mad' but his heinous actions suggest otherwise.

      Correct Answer: irony

      Q5.
      What is the effect of Poe's use of short sentences in this quotation from 'The Tell-Tale Heart': "“Almighty God!—no, no! They heard!—they suspected!—they knew!”?

      Correct answer: The shorter sentences reflect the narrator's loss of control and hysteria.
      The short sentences reflect the old man's time running out.
      The short sentences reflect the narrator's lack of patience with the police.
      The short sentences reflect the narrator's clarity and sanity in this moment.

      Q6.
      Which of the following best explain why Poe used an unreliable narrator in 'The Tell-Tale Heart'?

      Using an unreliable narrator makes us question whether the old man really died.
      Correct answer: Using an unreliable narrator puts us in a state of discomfort and doubt.
      The narrator's unreliability makes him a wicked, but likeable protagonist.
      Correct answer: The narrator's unreliability makes him unpredictable, which creates suspense.
      The narrator's unreliability makes him charismatic and endearing.

      To help you plan your 8 English lesson on: The creation of suspense in 'The Tell-Tale Heart', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...