Question

part 7: analyzing the author’s craft excerpt—nervous—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. —edgar allan poe, the tell-tale heart what does the narrator’s repeated insistence that he is not mad most likely suggest? a) that he is confident and telling the truth. b) that he is trying to convince himself as much as the reader. c) that he is a calm and reliable person. d) that he has a supernatural ability to hear things. identify two words or phrases from the excerpt that create a sense of unease. explain how each contributes to the mood.

Explanation:

First Sub - Question (Multiple - Choice)

In "The Tell - Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe, the narrator repeatedly says he is not mad. If he were truly confident of his sanity, he wouldn't feel the need to keep asserting it. His repeated insistence is more likely an attempt to convince both himself and the reader that he is sane, even though his actions (like killing the old man because of his eye) suggest otherwise. Option a is incorrect as his actions don't show confidence in the truth. Option c is incorrect because his actions are not those of a calm and reliable person. Option d is incorrect as there's no indication of supernatural abilities.

1. Word/Phrase: "nervous"

• Explanation: The word "nervous" creates a sense of unease because it makes the reader feel that the narrator is on edge. A nervous person is often unpredictable, and this unpredictability makes the reader feel uncomfortable and uncertain about what the narrator might do next.

1. Word/Phrase: "haunting"

• Explanation: The word "haunting" creates a sense of unease as it is associated with things that are disturbing and lingering. It makes the reader feel that there is something disturbing or ghost - like in the story, which adds to the overall feeling of discomfort and anxiety.

Answer:

b) That he is trying to convince himself as much as the reader.

Second Sub - Question (Identifying Words/Phrases and Explaining Mood)