Themes and Symbols
So as we now know, Poe was not merely a master of wordplay, but a crafter of stories wherein no details, no matter how small, were left unscrutinized. It is for this reason that we know that every minor theme, symbol, element, and image presented in "The Tell-Tale Heart" are all being used to create that "unity of effect", drawing the reader ever-closer to Poe's desired impact at the tale's conclusion. As previously stated, Poe uses many of his classic themes and images throughout this story, but what is Poe really trying to address through these? What is the overarching theme of the story? What is his desired goal for the reader? And do these recurrent symbols and themes help to achieve this?
In order to answer these questions let's examine these symbols and themes:
(click to see)
In order to answer these questions let's examine these symbols and themes:
(click to see)