What are the main themes in 'Tell Tale Heart' short story?

The themes include insanity and the psychological breakdown of the narrator. His obsession with the old man's 'vulture - eye' is an indication of his mental instability. Also, the theme of paranoia is there as he constantly imagines that the police can hear the beating heart, which is actually his own guilty conscience.

One main theme is guilt. The narrator's guilt over the murder is so strong that he imagines he hears the dead man's heart still beating. Another theme is madness. The narrator's erratic behavior and his distorted perception of reality show his madness.

Well, themes in 'The Tell - Tale Heart' include insanity. The way the narrator meticulously plans the murder and then is driven crazy by the sound of the heart is a sign of his mental instability. Also, there's the theme of the power of conscience. Despite trying to convince himself he's not mad, his conscience gets the better of him in the end.

One of the main themes is guilt. After killing the old man, the narrator is haunted by the sound of the heartbeat, which is a manifestation of his guilty conscience.

Well, there is the theme of perception. The narrator has a very distorted perception of reality. He thinks that the old man's eye is an 'evil eye' which is really just his own warped view. And then there's the theme of secrecy. He tries to keep his deed a secret but ultimately fails due to his own psychological turmoil.

One main theme is guilt. After the narrator kills the old man, the sound of the heart drives him to confess, showing the power of guilt over the mind.

One main theme is guilt. After the narrator kills the old man, the sound of the beating heart haunts him, representing his guilty conscience. Another theme is madness. The narrator's actions and his attempt to prove his sanity while clearly being insane show Poe's exploration of the nature of madness.

Guilt is the central theme. The narrator commits a murder and then is consumed by an overwhelming sense of guilt. His paranoia about the 'tell - tale heart' is really his own guilty conscience manifesting in a very extreme way. He can't escape from the feeling of having done wrong, which drives him to confess in the end.

The key features of this short story are the unreliable narrator, the element of surprise and horror, and the powerful use of language to convey the narrator's escalating anxiety. The story also raises questions about morality and the human psyche.

One of the main themes is guilt. The narrator's conscience haunts him after he commits the murder, as shown by his hearing the 'tell - tale heart' which could be seen as a manifestation of his guilt. Another theme is madness. The narrator's erratic behavior, like his obsession with the old man's eye, his detailed planning of the murder, and his subsequent paranoia, all point to his insanity.