Read the passage from "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe:

"TRUE!-nervous-very, very 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."

How can a reader tell that the passage's narrator is unreliable?

A. The narrator claims that he is very intelligent, but he is clearly very young and naive.
B. The narrator insists that he can speak calmly, but his manner of speaking suggests that he is not at all calm.
C. The narrator says that he is a good listener, but he refuses to listen to anyone else's version of the story.



Answer :

Final answer:

The narrator in 'The Tell-Tale Heart' exhibits unreliability through contradictions and erratic behavior, impacting the story's suspense and reader engagement.


Explanation:

Unreliable Narrator in 'The Tell-Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe: The narrator's unreliability is evident through his contradictory statements and irrational behavior. He insists he is not mad but exhibits erratic and disturbed actions, such as hearing things in heaven and hell. His claim of heightened senses due to illness, like hearing the old man's heart, showcases his skewed perception.

Example from the text: The narrator claims his acute sense of hearing proves he is not mad, but it actually highlights his deranged state as he fixates on the old man's heart.

Impact on Storytelling: Poe employs an unreliable narrator to create suspense and tension, leading readers to question the truth behind the narrator's account.


Learn more about Unreliable Narrator in 'The Tell-Tale Heart' here:

https://brainly.com/question/9247797