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The Theme Of Insanity In Edgar Allan Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart

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Insanity means the state of being seriously mentally ill; madness. In Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart, the main character is seriously mentally ill and doesn't know what he's doing is wrong. Others say that the narrator is showing characteristics of sanity. This position is popular but, nevertheless, ignores facts. The main character in The Tell-Tale Heart shows characteristics of insanity. Readers can tell that the main character in the story was confused about daily life. In the story, the main character said, "My head ached, and I fancied a ringing in my ears: but still they sat and still chatted. The ringing became more distinct… until, at length, I found that the noise was not within my ears… and yet the officers heard it not" (5-6).

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