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The Tell-Tale Heart
Starter:
Write down 10 key events in from the story, in the
right order if you can!
1. Narrator asks why you say that he is mad? He is sane!
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10. Narrator cracks, rips up the floor boards and exposes the
chopped up body of the old man to the 3 policemen.
Lesson Objectives
I must identify features of language that build
tension
I should explain these features of language
I could apply these techniques to your own
writing to build up tension
Tension in a Tell-Tale Heart
A tell-tale heart is full of tension – mental or
emotional strain.
How does Edgar Allan Poe create tension?
1. Short simple sentences
2. Rhetorical questions
3. Repetition
I must identify features of language that build tension
I should explain these features of language
I could apply these techniques to your own writing to build up tension
What is a short, simple sentence?
The bed creaked. I stood still. I could hear my own breath.
Machine-gun phrasing!
What is a rhetorical question?
What could I do?
What is repetition?
I screamed and screamed and screamed!
I must identify features of language that build tension
I should explain these features of language
I could apply these techniques to your own writing to build up tension
Can you spot the:
1. Short simple
sentences
2. Rhetorical questions
TRUE! -- nervous -- very, very
3. Repetition
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.
I must identify features of language that build
tension
I should explain these features of language
I could apply these techniques to your own
writing to build up tension
Can you spot the:
TRUE! -- nervous -- very, very 3. Repetition
dreadfully nervous I had been and
am; but why will you say that I am
mad? The disease had sharpened
2. Rhetorical questions
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 1. Short simple
earth. I heard many things in hell. sentences
How, then, am I mad? Hearken!
and observe how healthily -- how
calmly I can tell you the whole
story.
I must identify features of language that build
tension
I should explain these features of language
I could apply these techniques to your own
writing to build up tension
Now it’s your turn!
Underline the short sentences in red.
Underline the rhetorical questions in blue.
Underline the repetition in green.
No doubt I now grew very pale; --but I talked more fluently, and with a heightened voice. Yet the
sound increased --and what could I do? It was a low, dull, quick sound --much such a sound as a
watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I gasped for breath -- and yet the officers heard it not. I
talked more quickly --more vehemently; but the noise steadily increased. I arose and argued about
trifles, in a high key and with violent gesticulations; but the noise steadily increased. Why would
they not be gone? I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to fury by the
observations of the men -- but the noise steadily increased. Oh God! what could I do? I foamed --I
raved --I swore! I swung the chair upon which I had been sitting, and grated it upon the boards,
but the noise arose over all and continually increased. It grew louder --louder --louder! And still
the men chatted pleasantly, and smiled. Was it possible they heard not? Almighty God! --no, no!
They heard! --they suspected! --they knew! --they were making a mockery of my horror! --this I
thought, and this I think. But anything was better than this agony! Anything was more tolerable
than this derision! I could bear those hypocritical smiles no longer! I felt that I must scream or die!
--and now --again! --hark! louder! louder! louder! louder! --
I must identify features of language that build
tension
I should explain these features of language
I could apply these techniques to your own
writing to build up tension
How is tension created?
The noise got louder. The men
chatted. They knew what I had
done. I couldn’t bear it any longer.
I screamed, “Lift up the floor
boards and you will find his heart”
or
I must identify features of language that build tension
I should explain these features of language
I could apply these techniques to your own writing to build up tension
How is tension created?
Oh God! what could I do? I foamed --I raved --I swore! I swung the chair
upon which I had been sitting, and grated it upon the boards, but the noise
arose over all and continually increased. It grew louder --louder --louder! And
still the men chatted pleasantly, and smiled. Was it possible they heard not?
Almighty God! --no, no! They heard! --they suspected! --they knew! --they
were making a mockery of my horror! --this I thought, and this I think. But
anything was better than this agony! Anything was more tolerable than this
derision! I could bear those hypocritical smiles no longer! I felt that I must
scream or die! --and now --again! --hark! louder! louder! louder! louder! --
Which is more interesting?
I must identify features of language that build tension
I should explain these features of language
I could apply these techniques to your own writing to build up tension
The Tell-Tale Heart in Ten Ticks – use your starter
 Narrator asks why you say that he is mad? He is sane!








 Narrator cracks, rips up the floor boards and exposes the chopped
up body of the old man to the 3 policemen.
I must identify features of language that build tension
I should explain these features of language
I could apply these techniques to your own writing to build up tension
High
Tension
The Tell-Tale Heart Tension Chart
I must identify features of language that build
tension
I should explain these features of language
I could apply these techniques to your own writing
to build up tension
Mid
Tension
Low
Tension
Why does Edgar Allen Poe change the tension in the story?
How does the change in speed in the story, the pace effect you?
Using these techniques in your own writing
– more on this next lesson!
Watch this clip.
Imagine you are the character – how would you feel?
Write down what his happening, building the tension as
he finds the heart, using:
•Rhetorical question
•Short simple sentences
•Repetition
I must identify features of language that build tension
I should explain these features of language
I could apply these techniques to your own writing to build up tension
Plenary
Can you break the code?
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abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
zabcdefghijklmnopqrstu vwzy
I must identify features of language that build tension
I should explain these features of language
I could apply these techniques to your own writing to build up tension