ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

ii

Smith i

Susan Smith

Prof. Cobbs

English 202-975

May 12, 2014

Outline

Thesis Statement: In his short stories “The Black Cat” and “The Tell-Tale Heart,” Poe describes two heinous crimes committed by men whose motives can only be traced back to their deranged perception of reality, domestic relationships, and a soul whose thirst can only be quenched through violence.

I. In “The Black Cat” and “The Tell-Tale Heart,” both narrators have a misguided perception that induces their senses to confuse reality with delusions.

A. In “The Black Cat,” the narrator feels a sense of fright and disgust when reviewing the attached behavior of the second cat.

B. The narrator in “The Tell-Tale Heart” is under the illusion that the old man’s eye is evil and the only way to overcome this wickedness is to destroy it.

II. Poe introduces direct and indirect language during both “The Black Cat” and “The Tell-Tale Heart” to describe how the domestic life of each narrator possibly plays a role in their rage.

A. Through direct statements, the narrator in “The Black Cat” lets the reader know that his fondness for animals was made possible by his parents.

B. Poe indirectly reveals to the reader through the narrator of “The Tell-Tale Heart” that the old man is the father of the narrator.

III. Leading up to the violent rage, both narrators were burdened with a heavy weight of tension and anguish that was only cured with the murder of their victims.

A. Although the narrator in “The Black Cat” does not fulfill his desire to execute the second cat, he does receive a sense of peace when he realizes that the execution of his wife causes the cat to flee.

B. Once the old man is dead, the narrator in “The Tell Tale Heart” obtains instant gratification at the sight of his sinful deed.