Question

which is the most accurate critique of \the tell - tale heart\?
the author develops the central idea by giving examples.
the author builds the suspense by using a series of analogies.
the author builds the suspense by revealing a personal anecdote.
the author develops the central idea by delaying answers to questions.

Explanation:

To determine the accurate critique of "The Tell - Tale Heart", we analyze each option:

• Option 1: The story doesn't mainly develop the central idea through examples. The central idea (the narrator's madness) is developed through the narrator's actions and the rising tension, not examples.
• Option 2: The author (Edgar Allan Poe) doesn't build suspense through analogies. The suspense is built through the narrator's increasing agitation, the slow - building tension of the murder and the aftermath, and the delayed revelation of certain details.
• Option 3: The story is not a personal anecdote. It's a fictional narrative from the perspective of a deranged narrator, so this option is incorrect.
• Option 4: In "The Tell - Tale Heart", the narrator delays answering questions (like why he wants to kill the old man, the full details of the murder until the end, etc.). This delay in answering questions helps to build the central idea of the narrator's madness and also creates suspense, which is a key part of developing the central idea of the story.

Answer:

D. The author develops the central idea by delaying answers to questions.