The Tell-Tale Heart: Suppose you are the narrator's attorney, assigned to defend him in the aftermath of the murder he committed. Since the narrator freely admitted to the police that he committed the crime, you have decided to have him enter a plea of "not guilty by reason of insanity." First, identify evidence
in the text that you believe most strongly illustrates the narrator's psychological state before, during, and after the murder. Then, identify details
that you would advise the narrator to leave out during his testimony, as they reflect poorly on his character and might alienate or offend the jury.
Finally, based on text evidence, construct a brief "closing argument" to the jury that makes the case that the narrator is not guilty by reason of
insanity for the crime of murder.