I choose this short story because I am currently working on a film based around it. I found it quite interesting to try to adapt a film from this story.
GENERAL
1. Briefly summarize the plot of the novel you read, and explain how the narrative fulfills the author's purpose (based on your well-informed interpretation of same).
1. Briefly summarize the plot of the novel you read, and explain how the narrative fulfills the author's purpose (based on your well-informed interpretation of same).
The narrator is bothered by this eye. Not just any eye, but the big blue eye of the old man. He watches it for a week and then decides the old man has got to go, the eye is bothering the narrator too much. He kills the man and hides his body under the floor boards. Following noise complaints, the police show up. The narrator gives them a tour of the home but begins to hear a quiet heartbeat. They eventually end up in the old man's room. The heartbeat gets louder and louder until the narrator can't stand it anymore. He breaks and confesses to the crime, yelling at the policemen to pull up the floorboards. Poe does an excellent job at fulfilling his purpose.
2. Succinctly describe the theme of the novel. Avoid cliches.
Guilt overpowers bad deeds. The guilt was too strong for the narrator to keep it hidden from the police. You WILL feel bad for things you do, sometimes stronger than you can handle.
3. Describe the author's tone. Include a minimum of three excerpts that illustrate your point(s).
Poe has a sort of dark humor. His writing reflected this very well.
"dissemble no more! I admit the deed! --tear up the planks! here, here! --It is the beating of his hideous heart!"
"The old man's terror must have been extreme! It grew louder, I say, louder every moment!"
"very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad?"
4. Describe a minimum of ten literary elements/techniques you observed that strengthened your understanding of the author's purpose, the text's theme and/or your sense of the tone. For each, please include textual support to help illustrate the point for your readers. (Please include edition and page numbers for easy reference.)
-Syntax-Word order in a sentence-"Upon the eighth night I was more than usually cautious in opening the door."
-Diction-Author's choice of words-" There was no pulsation. He was stone dead. His eve would trouble me no more."
-Structure-How Poe built the paragraph-"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 you the whole story."
-Symbol-The eye standing in for evil- "For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye! yes, it was this! He had the eye of a vulture --a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold"
-Motif-Poe brings in animalistic deaths in most of his short stories.-" In an instant I dragged him to the floor, and pulled the heavy bed over him."
-Imagery-EVERYTHING- The whole story is filled with vivid pictures.
-Irony-He talks to himself and tells himself that he isn't mad-"How, then, am I mad? Hearken! and observe how healthily --how calmly I can tell you the whole story."
-Allegory- The story is told using symbols.
CHARACTERIZATION
1. Describe two examples of direct characterization and two examples of indirect characterization. Why does the author use both approaches, and to what end (i.e., what is your lasting impression of the character as a result)?
"He had the eye of a vulture --a pale blue eye, with a film over it."
"Above all was the sense of hearing acute. I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth."
No direct characterization is used while very little indirect characterization is used.
2. Does the author's syntax and/or diction change when s/he focuses on character? How? Example(s)?
The whole story is based on the narrator, not really any syntax or diction changes occur.
3. Is the protagonist static or dynamic? Flat or round? Explain.
The protagonist is static and flat. He just hates that eye and wants it gone, not that much to it. The story was too short for him to change much.
4. After reading the book did you come away feeling like you'd met a person or read a character? Analyze one textual example that illustrates your reaction.
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