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Feb 12, 2012

Knowledge Lost rated it:

The Tell-Tale Heart is a story about an unnamed person who insists on their sanity after murdering an old man with an evil eye. The murder was cold, calculated and well executed, the body disposed; but the guilt slowly eats away at the person.

The story uses an unreliable narrator very effectively; driving the story without giving too much away, to keep it tense. The narrator is genderless though most people assume he’s a man, it could just as easily been a woman. The way the story i More...

0 comments like (6 people liked it)

Feb 04, 2012

Nicholas rated it:

You know, I'm pretty sure most people like this (and Poe) for the kind of creepy slightly Gothic effect, but I think that is a very superficial and silly way to read it. The beating of the heart has absolutely nothing to do with redemption, nothing to do with guilt or anything, it has to do with the futility of existence. Read the story again and think of the mentions of heartbeat and pulse and think of the unreliability of the narrator.

It's not the pulse of the man he kills and it More...

0 comments like (4 people liked it)

Feb 12, 2012

Tammy rated it:

I read this years ago in school and loved it. The Tell-Tale Heart and The Raven are what comes to mind when I think of Edgar Allan Poe. The atmosphere he builds, the subtle creepiness of his style is amazing. Highly recommended to anyone looking for a read that draws you in and gives you goosebumps.

1 comment like (2 people liked it)

May 18, 2011

Mel rated it:

Edgar Allan Poe is a unique and prolific writer. he delves into his writings in a way that it reflects his emotion and understanding of life. we all know he lived a very sorrowful life from start to end and by choosing a genre such a mystery and sorrow as his recurring motives he has defined and made it one of the best works since Shakespeare. I praise and admire his poetry and his stories which tell the readers that life isn't all pretty. and I'd like to think that E.A.P was the father of the d More...

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Dec 21, 2008

Brucie! rated it:

VERY creepy! We were forced to read it in English... AHH!!!

1 comment like (4 people liked it)

Sep 05, 2008

Chris rated it:

A collection of work by the illustrious deviant with the charming monogram E.A.P.

Let me begin by trying to be helpful for anyone out there looking to pick up a copy of Poe’s work: do NOT settle for this edition, for a few more bucks you can get the Complete Poe (several available editions). If you’d rather settle for this half-assed collection and a KFC Meal Deal instead of Poe’s unabridged output, be my guest, odds are I’ll be the guy behind you in line getting the Extra Spicy C More...

3 comments like (5 people liked it)

Jan 30, 2012

Amanda rated it:

Never have I encountered such uncanny description of acute insanity from the inside out. [Case in point, the opening lines: "TRUE! nervous, very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why WILL you say that I am mad? The disease had sharpened my senses, not destroyed, not dulled them. Above all was the sense of hearing acute. I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth. I heard many things in hell. How then am I mad? Hearken! and observe how healthily, how calmly, I can tell More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 16, 2012

Scott rated it:

There is no denying that Poe is a fascinating, if not disturbed individual. The morbid approach to the macabre gives Poe his place in literary lore, and I neither love nor hate the man's writings.

Poe is considered an American Romantic, and compared to other American Romantics, or British Romantics, I feel as though Poe is somewhat misplaced. Many will disagree, I am sure, but he is just too dark for me. Almost nothing he writes celebrates life; all is in death. Yes, he exhibits some More...

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Oct 23, 2011

signe added it

The narrator of The Tell Tale Heart practically admits that he’s a madman, but he says that he’s wiser than a madman, trying to use this reasoning to prove that he isn’t. He brags so often that he’s not mad that we can’t help but wonder if maybe he’s actually aware of the fact that he’s mad. He denies that he’s mad before the thought even crosses our minds! In fact, his constant denial of being mad only makes us suspect his madness even more. His reasoning behind his belief that he is not mad is More...

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Sep 20, 2011

Phyllis rated it:

I absolutely love this short story, it does things to me as most of Poe's works seem to, to strike something exciting inside my mind. I think this is one of the better known of Poe's works, something like The Raven or The Pit and the Pendulum. Poe does a very good job of making you invested in the characters and the plot in a very short amount of time, as always, and gets your heart rising at the apex, which quickly falls to a satisfying insanity.
The man from whose perspective the story i More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Apr 29, 2011

Pegah added it

Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
The old man's eye is blue with a "film" or "veil" covering it. This could be a medical condition, like a corneal ulcer, but symbolically it means that the characters have issues with their "inner vision"
Setting
We don't know where the narrator is while he's telling the story of the old man's murder.The "ideal" bedroom is supposed to be a fairly private place where we can rest and recuperate without fear. The nar More...

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Jan 21, 2011

Bjoernlars rated it:

I picked up this book to get some exposure to literature beyond my time period. I do have to say that the range of writings by Poe was quite extensive. By comparison to modern standards, the “horrors” that he wrote about were not so greatly intense to me, though a few lines here or there could be a tad gruesome.

For educational purposes, I have to say that this book quite interesting and I was able to come away felling a bit more cultured. It was nice to discuss some of his stories w More...

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Nov 29, 2010

Robben rated it:

That Poe believed he was the image of Annibel Lee imposed an eerie intrigue, One that may have led to a forelone truth unlike most boulevard nights. While Poe retains an ostentacious reprieve of notoriety, his chosen captivity to be rid of endless jests and charm, perhaps is his motive for ensuing his idyllic ambivalence in a love that aspires to a futile rationale, and further ineptness for posterity. Annibel is as clever as he is in a more desireable pursuit, yet Poe makes only another dismiss More...

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Jan 05, 2009

Mandabearrr3 added it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Feb 06, 2012

Jennifer rated it:

As a child of 8 or 9, I picked up a book by Poe that likely belonged to my father. I cannot remember which book it was and to be honest, it doesn't matter because I quickly devoured everything by Poe I could get my hands on in quick succession. Thus began my love affair with the dark world of the macabre and Poe. I remember my teacher and the school librarian both being quite alarmed at my choices of reading material. Thankfully, I was raised by parents who believed that one should never dis More...

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Nov 02, 2010

Crixly rated it:

This short story by Edgar Allen Poe is probably one of my all time favorites. As a reader I absolutely loved the suspense of it all. As a writer looking back I’m able to see the amazing construction of it all. The details in the story are placed strategically so that the actual details help us to envision what’s going on but also the lack of details at specific moments create that suspense that really captures us. I learned to choose my words wisely. It’s not necessary to have a 500 page story j More...

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Aug 09, 2009

Tara rated it:

There are, of course, many wonderful and creepy things to say about all the well-known short stories and poems of EAP. I personally really enjoyed revisiting "The Black Cat," mostly because I want a kitty and I will treat it much better. But what I really want to touch on briefly is Poe's one and only full-length novel. Well, I'd probably call it a novella, but now we're splitting hairs. It was verbose, and pessimistic, so in that regard very Poe-ish. I found myself thinking that it wa More...

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Feb 12, 2012

Ethereal K.K. rated it:

I read one story(The Tell-Tale Heart) for the english class.There are, of course, many wonderful and creepy things to say about this story, but it was nice.The ending was like wow!!!!!

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Feb 12, 2012

Florbela rated it:

Guilt is a murderer's worst enemy :-)
What a delightful creepy story!

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Sep 20, 2010

Jennifer rated it:

I have to admit, I haven't read everything in this book but only those stories or poems that I have found that I like. My favorite poem is The Raven of course, his rhyme and meter make the first stanza especially easy to remember. I don't generally like to read horror or mystery or the macbre but Poe is definitely a master at his art. It's a shame that his life didn't turn out better but then perhaps his writing would have been of a different nature all together. I love the Mask of the Red D More...

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Nov 02, 2010

Jamie rated it:

Edgar Allan Poe is a genius! I love this short story vehemently. The constant repetition of certain descriptions (e.g. eyes) heightens the suspense of the narration and created a vivid image in my head. I can wholly imagine the narrator as he tries to convince his audience that he's innocent even though his insanity is apparent. Reading this reminds me of a crime-suspense related shows where the suspect is being questioned and asked to talk about certain events. I don't want to say much and spoi More...

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May 29, 2011

11811 rated it:

I'm not nearly refined enough to be reading Poe but this was pretty darn good.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 28, 2010

Yasmine rated it:

One of my favorite childhood books.
Yes, I had one weird childhood.

3 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jun 25, 2010

Rosemarie rated it:

Edgar Allan Poe's house is located in Poe Park, a couple of blocks away from me. It's a museum now but don't know how many people visit considering it is the single most creepiest house I've ever seen.

I read this short story twice and both times I couldn't be alone while reading it because it gave me the creeps.

With that said, if you're looking for a great classic chiller, read it! You will not be disappointed. Make sure you have all the lights on and maybe the tv on wh More...

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May 17, 2009

Ricks Eric rated it:

Once a reader understands Poe's obsession with trying to evoke the sublime (uncontrolable emotion, such as horror or love) in his writing, a reader of a Tell-tale will see how masterfully Poe evokes these emotions. The art in Poe's writing is how deeply he connects inevitable emotion of the human experience to the meaning of words through the pacing and rhythm of his writing.

This short story is a must read. If once can let go of there attachments to the world around them and be swept More...

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Jun 01, 2011

Ashley rated it:

I absolutely love this short story, it does things to me as most of Poe's works seem to, to strike something exciting inside my mind. I think this is one of the better known of Poe's works, something like The Raven or The Pit and the Pendulum. Poe does a very good job of making you invested in the characters and the plot in a very short amount of time, as always, and gets your heart rising at the apex, which quickly falls to a satisfying insanity.

The man from whose perspective the sto More...

0 comments like

Feb 12, 2012

Ciera rated it:

Today, I took the Edgar Allan Poe book with me to my theatre company classes and I was reading it before the class began. The dean of our school (I take classes with Circle Christian School) named Mr. Dumbacher, was very surprised that I was reading Edgar Allan Poe. Everyone was like, “wow. That’s intense.” I did a little research into his life and it was rather depressing. He was orphaned at a young age and taken into the Allan family. He married his thirteen year old cousin (okay...ew - More...

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Jan 29, 2012

Chana rated it:

I persevered and I did finish this book. Although Poe's subject matter is often gloomy, I was surprised and pleased with his black sense of humor. His writing is sophisticated and elegant, it would have been a pleasure to read if I wasn't so often in the dictionary to ascertain what he means. The writing is also very dense and complex, it took me a long time to read. I believe that I started it over two weeks ago. His poetry is beautiful and I can see why The Raven became a favorite as it h More...

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Sep 27, 2011

Beth rated it:

I've been a fan of Edgar Allen Poe for a long time. As a teenager I suppose it was the "dark" nature of these books, that on trend gothic quirkiness of my generation, that made me feel like it was "cool". I came, in time, to appreciate the dream like quality of Poe's poetry, and in turn the cleverness of his short stories. There's a depth far beyond the surface level creepiness so many people buy into: an irony, a tornness, that makes Poe's works very relevant to me even now.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 14, 2008

Carolyn rated it:

The tell-tale heart is a story about a man and his elder roomate. this story contains internal and external conflict, suspense, and dialouge. this is a dark story, it's quite scary and can be weird at times. it's genre would be drama and horror, and though there's only about 4 characters in this story, it makes a huge difference in reading and it's easier to understand.
It starts as an old man sleeping in his bed when his younger roomate cracks the door open. he sta More...

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