The Tell-Tale Heart

Thesis statement: The numerous time indications in The Tell-Tale Heart improve the intrigue of the story immensely as they add depth to the setting, the character and the reader's experience.

Topic sentence 1: The repetitive night setting adds spookiness and makes the old man seem more vulnerable.

Details: "And now at the dead hour of the night" and "Many a night, just at midnight, when all the world slept"

Topic sentence 2: The fact that the main character can keep track of time so precisely tricks the reader into believing he is lucid.


Details: "For a whole hour I did not move a muscle" and "And I did this for seven long nights-every night just at midnight"


Topic sentence 3: The intricate timeline invites the reader to feel more involved, implicated in the story.


Details: "It grew louder, I say, louder every moment!"


Conclusion: Without these detailed time references, the story would have less intrigue and suspense, therefore, be less captivating an experience for the reader.