Question
In "The Tell-Tale Heart," what do we learn about the narrator from the following quote?:
"I knew what the old man felt, and pitied him, although I chuckled at heart."
O The narrator is compassionate.
• The narrator is clever.
• The narrator is calm.
• The narrator is cruel.
"I knew what the old man felt, and pitied him, although I chuckled at heart."
O The narrator is compassionate.
• The narrator is clever.
• The narrator is calm.
• The narrator is cruel.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The quote "I knew what the old man felt, and pitied him, although I chuckled at heart" suggests that the narrator exhibits feelings of both empathy and malice. The narrator claims to feel pity for the old man, indicating a semblance of compassion; however, the fact that he "chuckled at heart" reveals a deeper, more sinister enjoyment or amusement regarding the old man's fear.
Thus, the best answer from the provided options is:
• The narrator is cruel.
This option captures the narrator’s underlying sadistic pleasure that contrasts with any superficial sense of compassion he might express.
Thus, the best answer from the provided options is:
• The narrator is cruel.
This option captures the narrator’s underlying sadistic pleasure that contrasts with any superficial sense of compassion he might express.