In the first paragraph, how does the narrator describe himself? Identify any contradictions in his description.
In the second paragraph, what contradiction does the narrator describe concerning his opinion of the old man?
In the third paragraph, how does the narrator behave in front of the old man? How does this contrast with his intentions and actions?
After reading the first page, what has the narrator said or done that makes him appear mad?
What evidence does the narrator give that he is not mad?
On the eighth night, the narrator chuckles to himself twice. What does this tell you about the narrator’s feelings toward the old man? Cite evidence to support your answer.
On page 269, the narrator claims that what "we" think is madness is really an “overacuteness of the senses.” What does the narrator say he can hear, and how does he react to this sound?
How likely is it that neighbors would be able to hear the old man’s heartbeat? What does this reveal about the narrator?
The narrator defends his sanity again when he describes the way he concealed the body. What words does he use in this defense? Why does the narrator believe this proves his sanity? What about his actions makes him appear insane?
How does the narrator’s emotional and physical state change from the third to the fourth paragraph on p. 271? What can you infer is the cause of this change?
Compare the sound the narrator hears in the last paragraph on p. 269 to the sound he heard at the bottom of p. 271. Describe his response to the sound this time using evidence from the text.
Describe the police officers’ behavior. Is this response we would expect given the narrator’s behavior at this time? What does that tell you about the reliability of the narrator?