The Tell-Tale Hearl Essay, Research Paper

Poe and Carver

The Tell-Tale Heart, by Edgar Allan Poe, is written in the first person. This is proven because ?I? is used to tell the story. This story told is by a participating narrator. The narrator is also the main character. The point of view used in this story is the unreliable narrator; this is a point of view according to Literature by X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. This view was chosen because the narrator was very deceptive, deluded and deranged. For example, ?I cut off the head and the arms and the legs?. (pg.36). I find this to be extremely deranged. The narrator was also very deceptive by playing a trick on the older man in bed every night. The deluded madman would spy on the old man at midnight every night for seven days straight. By the eighth day he had this deranged plan to kill him. So, at midnight the madman came into the room quietly, or so he tried, and suffocated the old man. In the meantime the old man was scared when he heard some noises but probably thought that it was only a mouse or something. Because the man did not get up and check on the noises, it cost him his life. The old man was tricked on thinking it was just a noise an old house makes. Therefore, The point of view used in the story was that of an unreliable narrator in the first person.

Raymond Carver had many influences in his life that contributed to his short stories and poems. But his main influence was his family. With two kids and married at the age of 19, he definitely had his hands full. He would try and write stories to support his children while engaging in other labor jobs during the day. Everyday life is an inspiration on everyone. People might not realize it but what happens everyday has an affect or influence on the way they approach life. For example, Carver?s day at the laundry mat. He realized that life isn?t what it is cracked out to be and he noticed this just by being frustrated because he couldn?t get any driers. Also, Carver?s professor at Chico State University, John Gardner, was a great influence at the time. Gardner helped Carver with some of his short stories. He would help Carver by being really patient and helping understand what he needs to do better. Education is a great influence on life. It introduces new perspectives to life and opens many new doors of opportunity. Without education or his family Raymond Carver might not have been as successful as he has.