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Ruin in The Tell-Tale Heart Essay

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The cause of His Ruin; Double Face

There is a term that is called crocodile tears. When crocodile prey on a prey, they shed tears so that they seem to feel sorry about preying on the prey. It looks like very double faced. Similarly, human has and double face as well. For example, people praise someone or something with a smile on the surface, but they slander someone or something in the innermost. Then they are in pain because they feel sorry about their action. Likewise, in the Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe, the hero of this writing has double face so that he went to in ruin with admitting his murder at last.

As the hero confessed, the reason why he killed the old man is only a his eye. The old man had never wronged him, given him (me) insult, nor for his (the old mans) gold.(Line 7-8) In other words, he didnt kill the old man because of revenge for him or desire for his money. However, there is something noticeable. That is the eye, which was the reason why he killed the old man. Although there are many symbols of eye, eye in this writing means hypocrisy and double face. Namely, it is noteworthy that story has to do with an eye, the symbol of watchfulness, of censure, and the reminder of guilt. (Stern, 290) In other words, contrary to usual eye (I), there is another being, vulture (evil) eye (I), (Line 9) in his mind. In other words, the hatred to vulture (evil) eye (Line 9) means the hatred to vulture (evil) I, (Line 9) and the old man means another his own self. That is, the hero didnt kill the old man, but vulture (evil) I. (Line 9) It means he is double faced, so he moved about between usual I and vulture (evil) I. (Line 9)

However, he underwent a change in his mind. Namely, he above all was the sense of hearing acute so that he heard something like the old mans beating. That sound has welled up from my own bosom, deepening, with its dreadful echo, the terrors that distracted me. That is, the old mans beating is the sound of conscience. Also, as police officers talked without doubting him, he felt that they laughed at and made a fool of him. Thereupon, these situations made the vulture (evil) I (Line 9) revive, and held him. Then he became mad contrary to his saying in the beginning of writing. In the end, he confessed his murder and he went to ruin by his own hidden self.

Most people live without knowing that they are double faced. So, although they seem to be normal at ordinary times, they do something strange such as impulsive suicide or murder with unconvincing reason to normal people. It is because vulture (evil) I (Line 9) is full of their minds so that it makes them uncontrollable. In the end, they bring ruin upon themselves. Likewise, the hero of this writing is a normal person as he said. However, vulture (evil) I (Line 9) captured him. Hence, he killed the old man even though the old man received him with warmth. As a result, he courted self-destruction. Therefore, we should take care of our double face.

Referred to

Hammond J. R. An Edgar Allan Poe Companion. London: The Macmillan Press LTD, 1983.

Stern, Philip Van Doran. The Portable Poe. Paris: Penguin Books, 1973.

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