Use the passage from "The Tell-Tale Heart" to answer the

question.

In 3-5 sentences, determine one or more themes in the
passage. Cite details from the passage to support your
answer.

1 answer

One theme in the passage from "The Tell-Tale Heart" is the theme of guilt. The narrator is haunted by the guilt of his crime, as seen when he claims that his "senses were acute" in the moment of his horrifying act. He also mentions that he feels the "terror of conscience," which further emphasizes his guilt. Additionally, the narrator's repeated mention of hearing the beating heart of the old man accentuates his guilt, as it symbolizes the narrator's guilt-ridden conscience.