The Tell-Tale Heart, by Edgar Allen Poe, describes the acts of the guilty conscience. In the story, Poe describes the murder of an old man with a vulture-like "evil" eye. This murder, however, was unlike most in that it was extremely well-thought out. The madman used his methodical ways so he can defend his claim of non-insanity Each night the murderer would open the "evil"eyes door. On the first night, the door was opened just a smidge. Each night that followed, the narrator got more and more ambitous until finally the door would be fully open after a night of inching it open. "Upon the eighth night I was more than usually cautious in opening the door. A watch's minute hand moves more quickly than mine did. Never before that night had I felt the extent of my own powers-of my sagacity. I could scarely contain my feelings of triumph" (Poe 1). Obviously, the man is somehow deranged, if he feels power from slowly opening a door to scare someone. Perhaps he was drawn to kill by the man's evil eye that "vexed" him, but whatever the case may be the murderer smothered the man when his eye was wide open and his heart was beating fast. The man's feelings of fear were "all in vain; because Death, in approaching him had stalked with his black shadow before him, and enveloped the vitcim. And it was the mournful influence of the unperceived shadow that caused him to feel- although he neither saw nur heard- to fell the presence of my head within the room" (Poe 2). The murder had delcared "the old's man hour had come! With a loud yell, I threw open the lantern and leaped into the room. He shrieked once-once only. In an instant I dragged him to the floor, and pulled the heavy bed over him. I then smiled gaily, to find the deed so far done. But, for many minutes, the heart beat on with a muffled sound" (Poe 2). This heart would later cause his conscience to act against his evil mean and confess his guilt.
Later in story, the man realizes his guilty conscience is upon him. "I fancied a ringing in my ears; but still they sat and still chatted. The ringing became more distinct:--It continuned and became more distinct: I talked more freely to get ride of the feeling: but it continued and gained definiteness--until, at length, I found that the noise was not within my ears" (Poe 3). The noise was the sound of the man's beating heart and it resonated within his conscience. No act of reasoning can convince the man that his murderous acts were not wrongfully put into action.
The heart beat stronger and stronger until finally he could bear the beating no longer. He confessed his evil deeds to the police and shrieked, "Villians! Dissemble no more! I admit the deed!--tear up the planks! here, here! --It is the beating of his hideous heart!" (Poe 4).
The conscience is an tool to determine right from wrong. In our own lives, we are faced daily with choices between right and wrong. Sometimes, when we knowingly choose the bad option, our concscience comes back to haunt us. Even though the man could have sucessfully alluded police and been free for the rest of his life, his conscience was louder than his reason. Murder is never a option and his conscience knew that the man's deed, no matter how sickely twisted his mind had made the act, was in fact wrong and nothing could justify his cold-hard murder of the man with the "evil" eye.
Question: Have you ever commited a wrong and were haunted by your conscience?
This is good, but it's too long, honestly; try to get better at working faster/more directly!
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