A closer analysis reveals that “The Tell-Tale Heart” focuses on the most disturbing thing: motiveless murder. Summary. First, a brief summary of “The,” by Edgar Allan Poe. Analysis. PDF Quote Share. Colin Cavendish-Jones, Ph.D. Certified Educator. Last update. "The Tell-Tale Heart" was, Analysis of "The Telltale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe When creating Edgar Allan Poe's famous short story "The Telltale Heart", he uses several different elements to weave us together, in as a reader, an exciting page turner. 2. The Tell-Tale Heart is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe first published. It is told by an anonymous narrator who strives to convince the reader of his sanity, while describing a murder, The Tell-Tale Heart, a short gothic horror story by Edgar Allan Poe, published in The Pioneer. Poe's tale of murder and terror, told by an unnamed homicidal madman, influenced later stream-of-consciousness fiction and helped secure the author's reputation as a master of the macabre. Themes: The revealing heart. The main themes of "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan are: Guilt The narrator's guilt over the murder he committed and his struggle to hide it. Madness The narrator's descent into madness as he obsesses over his crime and hears things that don't exist. Paranoia Intense fear and paranoia. ~Dive deep into Edgar Allan Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart with in-depth analysis, commentary, and discussion. Beacham's Guide to Young Adult Literature, edited by Kirk H. Beetz, Vol. 5. Gale.