Does the narrator's opinion of himself in lines 1-16 make him seem more or less reliable? Explain.
In what way does the author's repeated image of the "eye of a vulture" help to create suspense?
What prevents the narrator from killing the old man during the first seven nights? How does his inaction contribute to the suspense?
Look at lines 88-105. What do readers learn from this first-person narration about the narrator's subjective, or personal, experience?
In lines 151-160, the narrator makes his case to the police and thinks he has convinced them of his innocence. What happens next that leads the narrator to finally confess? What does this suggest about his mental state?
Do you think the reader's ability to trust the narrator increases the suspense in the story? Explain.