In the short story Tell tale heart by Edgar Allen Poe, Poe creates

suspense in the scene where the main character can hear the heartbeat of
the old man grow louder and louder, to the point where the main character
can't take it no more so he leaps in the room and takes the old man's life
once and for all. For example, poe uses the technique of using a lot of
exclamation marks and this makes this scene more intense and powerful.
He writes, Yet for some minutes longer I refrained and stood still. But the
beating grew louder, louder! I thought the heart must burst. And now a new
anxiety seized me-the sound would be heard by a neighbor! The old man's
hour had come!. Without these exclamation marks the story would have
been way more dull. These exclamation marks are what create the
suspense. Reading this part of Tell Tale Heart makes my heart beat twice
as fast and also makes me wanna keep reading. Poe also uses the
technique of describing the characters actions in a very acute way. He says
It grew quicker and quicker, and louder and louder every instant. This
author could've simply said the heartbeat was loud and quick but instead
he repeated words and added words like every instant. Because of this,
the scene is more dramtictized. In conclusion Poe uses the technique of
using exclamation marks to make sentences more intense and uses the
technique of describing the characters actions very well to make the scene
more dramatic to create suspense in Tell Tale Heart.
Rubric rating submitted on: 11/13/2016, 1:00:21 PM by
wagner.jill@iowacityschools.org
6
Graphic
Organizer
Your score:
1

Graphic
organizer
completed

graphic
organizer
incomplete

Missing
graphic
organizer

clear topic
sentence
that includes
title and
topic, avoids
simplistic
sentence

missing
topic
sentence

Topic
Sentence
Your score:
2

Supporting

2-3

1 supporting

missing

Details
Your score:
6

supporting
details that
clearly
describe an
example of
the chosen
suspense
technique
while giving
context to
the reader

detail
present

supporting
details

Text
Evidence
Your score:
5

Relevant
text
evidence for
each
supporting
detail is
cited
correctly,
quote is
introduced,
use of
quotation
marks
apparent,
page # in
parentheses

1 example
of relevant
text
evidence
provided

Missing text
evidence

Commentar
y
Your score:
4

Detailed
commentary
after each
quote
explains
how
technique
creates
suspense
and gives
other
relevant
details

1 example
of detailed
commentary
is given

Missing
commentary

Concluding
Sentence
Your score:
2

Concluding
sentence
repeats
topic
sentence

missing
topic
sentence

Transitions
Your score:
1

Transitions
connect
ideas and
help writing
flow

Sentence
Variety
Your score:
1

Sentence
variety is
apparent- at
least 1
sentence
begins with
an infinitive,
gerund, or
subordinatin
g
conjunction

Comments:
22/27 81%
Great supporting details and text evidence--> be sure you are detailed in
your commentary