Read this excerpt from "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe.

Question

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.

Question
How does the situational irony of this excerpt affect "The Tell-Tale Heart"?
Responses

The narrator's frantic insistence that he is sane only helps to convince readers that he is not.
The narrator's frantic insistence that he is sane only helps to convince readers that he is not.

The narrator's mention of his calm and health only serve to highlight the serious injuries he's suffered.
The narrator's mention of his calm and health only serve to highlight the serious injuries he's suffered.

The narrator's firm insistence that he is innocent of the old man's murder only serves to convince readers that he is guilty.
The narrator's firm insistence that he is innocent of the old man's murder only serves to convince readers that he is guilty.

The narrator's focus on his strong sense of hearing only serves to remind readers that he will not listen to the truth.

Answer 1

The situational irony of this excerpt affects "The Tell-Tale Heart" most prominently in the response:

The narrator's frantic insistence that he is sane only helps to convince readers that he is not.

This response highlights the irony inherent in the narrator's claim to sanity, as his behavior and thoughts throughout the story reveal a disturbed mind. His attempts to assert his sanity only underscore his madness, which creates a tension between what he perceives and the reality of his actions. This contradiction is central to the story and enhances the sense of unease and suspense in Poe's narrative.