The Tell-Tale Heart (Edgar Allan Poe)

"The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe is a story about a man who insists he's sane but obsessively fixates on the eye of an old man. Driven by obsession and guilt, he murders the man and hides the body. However, his nerves unravel as he becomes overwhelmed by his own guilt, manifesting as the sound of the old man's heart beating beneath the floorboards. The story explores themes of madness, conscience, and the destructive power of guilt, illustrating how internal turmoil can compel a person to self-destruction.