The opening of The Tell-Tale Heart

Speaking in fragments

So far we’ve spent a lot of time looking at just the first sentence of The Tell-Tale Heart. Now we’re going to look at the rest of the opening paragraph.

Here’s the second sentence.

The disease had sharpened my senses—not destroyed—not dulled them.

The Tell-Tale Heart(1843)

In the first sentence, the narrator denies an accusation (that he is mad). In the second sentence he begins to provide what he believes is proof of his claim.

You’ll notice that this sentence has a two-part structure, similar to the first sentence, but it uses a different technique.

The disease had sharpened my senses—not destroyed—not dulled them.

The Tell-Tale Heart(1843)

Notice that in the second part of the sentence the narrator uses fragments instead of complete clauses.

The disease had sharpened my senses—not destroyed—not dulled them.

The Tell-Tale Heart(1843)
What’s the effect created by using fragments? What’s the feeling?

Two key effects of using fragments:

  • By cutting out words, they give the words that remain more emphasis and intensity
  • The fragments create more repetition, which reinforces the impression we’re getting that the narrator is obsessive.

How would the snippet sound if it only used complete clauses instead of fragments? Something like this:

The disease had sharpened my senses; it had not destroyed or dulled them.

It sounds calmer and more reasonable.

Let’s write some variations.

The disease had softened my skin —not hardened —not toughened it.

The fire had consumed the town —not skirted —not spared it.

The news had quickened my obsessions —not dulled —not dampened them.

Write your own variation.
Write another one.
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