Question

The Tell Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe
Which statement accurately analyzes how
the author's choices in using juxtaposition
define the narrator's perspective?
The description of the old man trying to find logical causes of the noises he hears shows the narrator’s understanding of fearing the unknown.
The narrator’s feelings of pity and amusement at the old man’s fear emphasize the narrator’s morbid state of mind.
The narrator’s sensations of terror and acceptance of death emphasize the narrator’s transition from madness to sanity.
The description of the old man being able to feel but not see or hear the narrator highlights the narrator’s determined planning.

Answer 1

The narrator’s feelings of pity and amusement at the old man’s fear emphasize the narrator’s morbid state of mind.

Poe juxtaposes contradictory emotions—claims of love/pity for the old man with the narrator’s delight and amusement at his terror—to reveal the narrator’s disturbed, gleefully cruel psychology and unreliable perspective.