‘I’ CHARACTER’S
PARANOID SCHIZOPHRENIA IN
EDGAR ALLAN POE’S
THE TELL-TALE HEART
THESIS
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of English Department Faculty Of letters and Humanities UIN Sunan Ampel
Surabaya
By
:
Siti Khumairoh
NIM: A83211187
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LETTERS AND HUMANITIES STATE
ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY SUNAN AMPEL SURABAYA
ABSTRACT
Siti Khumairoh. 2016. ‘I’ Character Shaw’s Paranoid Schizophrenia In Edgar Allan Poe’s
The Tell-Tale Heart, English Department Faculty Of Letters And Humanities State Islamic
University Sunan Ampel Surabaya.
Advisor : Wahju Kusumajanti, M.Hum
Key Words : character, psychoanalysis, schizophrenia,
This thesis is about an analysis of I schizophrenia. I, the main character, reveal his personality in his odd ways of thinking and bizarre behavior that leads the thesis writer to determine the problems that build this thesis. The main problems are about the facts showing I’s paranoid schizophrenia, the possible causes and the effect ofthe narrator’s paranoid schizophrenia. The approaches used in this thesis are both the intrinsic approach that focused on the character and the extrinsic approach by applying psychoanalytic approach.
In this thesis, the main discussion is I who unconsciously suffers paranoid
INTISARI
Siti Khumairoh. 2016. ‘I’ Character Shaw’s Paranoid Schizophrenia In Edgar Allan Poe’s
The Tell-Tale Heart, English Department Faculty Of Letters And Humanities State Islamic
University Sunan Ampel Surabaya.
pembimbing : Wahju Kusumajanti, M.Hum
Key Words : character, psychoanalysis, schizophrenia,
Tesis ini adalah analisis tentang karakter I yang mengalami skizofrenia. I, karakter utama, mengungkapkan kepribadiannya dengan cara yang berpikir dan berperilaku aneh yang di temukan penulis tesis untuk menentukan masalah untuk menulis tesis ini. Masalah utama adalah tentang fakta-fakta yang menunjukkan skizofrenia paranoid I, kemungkinan penyebab dan efek dari skizofrenia paranoid narator. Pendekatan yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah kedua pendekatan intrinsik yang berfokus pada karakter dan pendekatan ekstrinsik dengan menerapkan pendekatan psikoanalitik.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Inside Cover Page ... i
Inside Title Page ... ii
Declaration Page ... iii
Approval Sheet ………... iv
Examiner Sheet ………... v
Motto ... vi
Dedication Sheet ... vii
Acknowledgements ... viii
Table of Contents ... x
Abstract ... xii
Intisari ...xiii
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the Study ... 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem ... 3
1.3 Objective of the Study ... 3
1.5 Significance of the Study ... 3
1.4 Scope and Limitation ... 4
1.6 Method of the Study ... 4
CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW Review of Related Literature ... 6
2.1 New Criticism... 6
2.1.1 Character ... 8
2.1.2 Characterization ... 9
2.2.1 The Id ... ... 11
2.2.2 Ego ... ... 11
2.2.3 Superego... 13
2.3The definition of schizophrenia... 13
2.3.1 The causes of schizophrenia... 16
2.3.2 The Symptoms... 16
2.3.3 Types of Schizophrenia... 19
2.4 Review of Related Study... 23
CHAPTER III ANALYSIS... 25
3.1 ‘I’ Character and Characterization in Short Story The Tell Tale Heart ... 25
3.2 The Causes of Paranoid Schizophrenia... 30
3.3 The Effect of the Character ‘I’ Schizophrenia ... 36
CHAPTER IV CONCLUSION ... 41
BIBLIOGRAPHY ... 42
APPENDIX SYNOPSIS ... 45
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1Background of study
Literature is the reflection of human life. It has a high position in human civilization, for
it has been used by human being as an apparatus to express thought, critics, and social
phenomena in chronological way as told (Graham, 1) that mean literature can also be
considered as one of social phenomenon, that is presented in the midst of society, and can be
best way to find the solution of the problems faced, therefore to understand and find solutions
we can learn from one of the authors literary works by reading and understanding literary
works.
In the world of literature, there are many works that can be discussed, such as novel, short
story, poetry, and drama (Barry, 2). The short story differs from the novel in general
structure. It is to the novel what the one-act play is to the longer play (Conomy, 13). The
short story fulfils a desire for short entertainment, for something that can be read in the brief
intervals of leisure snatched from modern busy living (Conomy, 13). Poetry is usually
divided into three major classes, according to whether it tells a story, portrays life and
character through action, or voices the poet’s own thoughts and emotions (Conomy, 170).
Drama or play is a work of storytelling in which actors represent the characters or personality
revealed through speech or dialogue (Kennedy, 881).
The short story is distinct from the other types of literature, and its characteristics are
easily identified (Redman, 1) First of all it is short, short enough for us to read it through at
one sitting, without interruption. For the short story is streamlined. It aims at single, unified
effect and has one main plot. It has few main characters and often covers only a short span of
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The short story is an American invention, and arguably the most important literary genre to have emerged in the United States. Before Washington Irving created the
two masterpieces that may be said to have inaugurated this new literary form, “Rip Van Winkle” and “ The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, ” there certainly were an
abundance of prose forms that contained some of the elements that characterize the short story, (Bendixen and Nagel,3).
American short story is a literary work of the most desirable and first appeared in the
world one of the most famous American writer is Edgar Allan Poe.
Edgar Allan Poe was born in 1809, only child of an American actor and English actress,
inheriting an artistic temperament and creative inclination a rich legacy but one that it seldom
conducive to a well ordered life (Kennedy, 3). Edgar Allan Poe is one of the most prominent
American writers. His writings always deal with the genre of gothic literature. Poe describes
and analyses the dark side of human existence. He is thus regarded as the representative
figure of the literary tradition of nineteenth century in American literature. In addition to that
he is considered to be the founder of American letters, the inventor of horror stories and
fantasy novel also he is the father of detective fiction.
In my thesis, I choose one of Edgar Allan Poe best stories, The Tell Tale Heart because it
is one of Edgar Allan Poe’s most compact and brilliantly executed tales. It has none of the
Gothic trappings that date some of his work, so that it reads like modern, truly written
psychological story (Stern, 289). Related to the short story The Tell-Tale Heart, Edgar Allan
Poe is somehow try to suggest a phenomenon of a paranoid Schizophreniadescribed in his
single character, the narrator, as there is no name and use pronoun the first person singular as
the character. In the story, the narrator tells about his insane deed to show that he is mentally
healthy. The narrator hears many strange voices because of his acute sense of hearing. He is
also terrifying of a pale blue eye. He is sure that the eye is an Evil Eye. Edgar Allan Poe’s
work the Tell-Tale Heart, was first published in 1843 at the Boston Pioneer, and revised into
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In the study the researcher focuses on the problem presented as following:
1. How is “I” characterized and characterization in the short story?
2. What is the cause of the character “I” Schizophrenia?
3. What are the effects of the character “I” Schizophrenia?
1.3. Objective of Study
Related to the problem stated above, the researcher has some objectives of this study,
those are:
1. To depict the character of “I”.
2. To find out the cause of the character “I” Schizophrenia.
3. To find out the effects of the character “I” Schizophrenia?
1.4. Significance of Study
From the thesis, I hope the readers will know more about the reflection of condition
Schizophrenia Paranoia in short story The Tell Tale Heart. This study also hopes to broaden
the readers’ knowledge about the operation of human’smind based on Sigmund Freud’s
Psychoanalysis Theory.
And I hope this research gives some benefits for the readers, especially for the students of
English Letter Department of Sunan Ampel University who are interested in analyzing
literary work, especially short story.
1.5. Scope and Limitation
The scope of this study is focuse on the psychoanalysis of literature Theory.
Psychoanalysis of literature is taken as the theory to analyze character “I” who has
Schizophrenia Paranoia in short story The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe. This study
focused on the reflection of the paranoid syndrome as seen in short story The Tell Tale Heart
and I will explain about it.
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The study is a library research which the writer gathers the data and information from
some books, journal, and theses with enclosed the quotation as the evidence to support the
analysis. In presenting the analysis mainly uses descriptive analytical method.
The research follows the following steps:
1. Reading the short story to get the complete and well understanding on the whole
story.
2. Selecting and collecting the data in form of narration and conversation from the short
story related the problem.
3. Analyzing new criticism firstly as supporting theory to analyze the character and
categorizing them into two points. Dealing with the statement of problem. Then each
point analyzed using psychoanalysis theory, which refers to the objective of study.
4. Making use the psychoanalysis approach to analyze the short story to see the
psychology of character “I” in the short story of The Tell Tale Heart by Edgar Allan
Poe.
5. Also reading the other reference to know condition at the time
6. Making conclusion based on the result of data analysis.
In this study, the method that I used is descriptive qualitative, which means the data of the
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CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
In order to analyze the main problem in this thesis, the writer uses some theories that are
going to be used. The theories are new criticism, characterization, psychoanalysis, and the
concept of paranoid schizophrenia. Those theories are to expose more in detailed way about
character “I” and psychological aspect in his character.
2.1. New Criticism
Correlation between the psychology characters “I” with the work. So this research must
find the character first to analyze, New Criticism as supporting theory. New Criticism
appeared for the first time in the 1920s and continues to develop until the 1960s (Selden 15).
In America New Criticism called “close reading,” has been a standard method of high school
and college instruction in literary studies for the past several decades. So in this sense, New
Criticism is still a real presence among us and probably will remain so for some time to come
(Tyson, 135). Close reading is a method that sought their literary literature carefully and in
detail.
According to Gillespie New Criticism emerged as a reaction to the theory of the history
of literary criticism and literary criticism biography is too put extrinsic elements of literary
works, such as the history of a literary work or a biography of an author, as something that is
important in analyzing literary works, without entering the elements intrinsic literature
(Gillespie, 176). So with the New Criticism, the intrinsic elements of literary works serve as
an important object in literary analysis.
The publication of New Criticism, to interpret a literary text by studying other elements
associated with the text such as the author’s life, political events, and to determine the
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observations, and the circumstances that shaped his life were taken as evidences of authorial
intention as they were autobiographies, biographies, and history books (Tyson, 136).
According to Zima New Criticism believe that one can know if a given author’s intention
or a given reader’s interpretation actually represents the text’s meaning is to examine or all
the evidences provided by the language of the text itself, such as the images, symbols,
metaphors, rhyme, meter, point of view, setting, characterization, plot, and so forth, which
called formal element (Zima, 19-18). Formal element method new criticism includes of the
literary devices, figurative language and language structures ignore any culture, historical or
biographical context, but it is focus on the component of language in text itself (Gillespie,
178). The method of New Criticism stresses on close reading while concentrating on such
formal aspects as rhythm, meter, theme, imagery, metaphor (Eagleton, 80). The interpretation
of a text shows that these aspects serve to support the structure of meaning within the text. It
emphasizes close attention to the features from inside the text itself, and it discourages the
use of external evidence to explain the work.
2.1.1. Character
In a literature, character has an important role in a story beside it make the story alive,
character is viewed as a strategic position to carry a message or something that author wants
to convey in the story, as Holman states that the character most often used to refer to a person
in fictional story. The person is described not as an individualized personality (74). So
characters which represents person become something interesting the story.
Character is not only enough to build a story. The author has the way to depict the
character to make the story more alive it is called characterization. Characterization is
standard to introduce a character. We can understand a character deeply this thesis provide
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understand the personality and image of a character in literary fiction (Richard, 90). So
character can express behavior and figure of human being in the novel. Character can also
make important medium for human life which gives literature a great appeal, because through
the character the author can express what they want to convey to the readers.
The readers can explore the novel or short story by paying attention to the characters,
conversation, actions, and comments in order to understand more about the idea of the study.
A character can be produced by contrast or identifying with other character, by contrast or
identifying with setting by description of physical presence by analysis or motive of mind or
by evaluation of other character (Dietrich, 144). So characterization is the process by which
writer makes that character seem real to the readers.
2.1.2. Characterization
Characterization can be used to analyze the character or the personality of the character in
literary work, whether the person is good or bad, developed or static personal.
Characterization itself is made from the imaginary of the author of characters that is actual
person (life like) (Holman and Harmon, 81).
Based on Bennet book, the realist characterization presupposes a mimetic model of
literary texts whereby what is primary or original is a real person, and a character in a book is
simply a copy of such a person. Such a model does not allow for a reversal of this
relationship, it does not allow for the possibility that, for example, a person in real life might
be convincing to the extent that he or she resembles a person in book (Bennet, 63). On the
face of it, such a reversal my sound rather strange or counterintuitive, we would normally
want to give priority to person and say that characters in books are more or less like real
people. Indeed, literary history contains various dramatic instances where life copies fiction.
In this case, the writer uses characterization analytical approach to analyze “I” character
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the psychological condition when character “I” scary whit the old man eye and then he kill
him.
2.2. Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalysis Theory
According to Freud in Hall’s book psychoanalysis is a theory of personality. But there is
another side to psychoanalysis as well. Psychoanalysis is also a method of psychotherapy
(Hall, 19). So psychoanalysis is a method of medical treatment for people suffering from
neurological disorders. Psychoanalysis is a type of therapy that aims to treat someone who
has mental disorder and nerve.
According to Schultz, Freud’s original conception divided personality into three levels:
the conscious, the preconscious, and the unconscious. The conscious, as Freud defined the
term, corresponds to its ordinary everyday meaning. It includes all the sensations and
experiences of which we are aware at any given moment. Freud considered the conscious a
limited aspect of personality because only a small portion of our thoughts, sensation, and
memories exist in conscious awareness at any time. He likened the mind to an iceberg. The
conscious is the portion above the surface of the water merely the tip of the iceberg. More
important, according to Freud, is the unconscious, that large, invisible portion below the
surface. This is the focus of psychoanalysis theory. Its vast, dark depths are the home of the
instincts, those wishes and desires that direct our behavior. The unconscious contains the
major driving power behind all behaviors and is the repository of force we cannot see or
control (Schultz, 56).
The total personality as conceived by Freud consists of three major systems. These are
called the Id, the ego and superego (Hall, 22). The other term of the three factors in
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the three agencies are interrelated to each other so as to form a force or totality. Therefore to
facilitate the discussion of personality on psychoanalysis framework, people describe the
personality system.
2.2.1. The Id
The id is a powerful structure of the personality because it supplies all the energy for the
other two components. Because the id is the reservoir of the instincts, it is vitally and directly
related to the satisfaction of bodily needs. As we noted earlier, tension is produced when the
body is in a state of need, and the person acts to reduce this tension by satisfying the need
(Schultz, 57).That mean part of the personality that save human biological impulses. The Id is
the primary source of psychic energy and the instincts.
Everybody is born with Id, all of the primary process thinking which irrational, timeless
and sometimes immoral instinct is. Work for the pleasure principles, Id has single purpose to
identify pleasure and pains in order to gain the pleasure and avoid the pain (Hall, 26). The
entire processes happen in the Id belong to unconscious mind, so that sometimes people
cannot control when the Id should appear or disappear. There is no justification of good or
bad in this stage because the Id does not have any experiences toward external world. The Id
also does not consider true or false, norms, traditional and other people, in other words, Id is
the part of human unconscious mind which consists of basic and the feeling of unthreatened
and it needs immediate satisfaction.
2.2.2. Ego
Ego is the executive of the personality, controlling and governing the id and the superego
and maintaining commerce with the external world in the interest of the total personality and
it’s far flung needs (Hall, 28). It means that the ego is the only region of the mind in contact
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communication with the external world. It is governed by the reality principle, which it tries
to substitute for the pleasure principle of the id.
When the ego is performing its executive functions wisely, harmony and adjustment
prevail. Should the ego abdicate or surrender too much of its power to the id, to the superego
or to the external world, disharmony and maladjustment will ensue (Hall, 28). It means that
the adjustment is done by realistic thinking. The process is about testing the action is possible
or impossible to do. It needs a consideration whether the action will be done or not.
Instead of the pleasure principle the ego is governed by the reality principle. Reality
means that which exists. The aim of the reality principle is to postpone the discharge of
energy until the actual object that will satisfy the need has been discovered or produced (Hall,
28). So ego works based on a rational reason that is why ego is also called rational instinct,
ego can work together with id to reach the same goals as what the Id wants, but in contrast
ego also can be the oppressor of the id’s goals. Gaining energy from the id, ego works based
on reality principles that aim to differ between fantasy and reality.
According to Feist book, the ego becomes differentiated from the id when infants learn to
distinguish themselves from the outer world. While the id remains unchanged, the ego
continues to develop strategies for handling the ids unrealistic and unrelenting demands for
pleasure. At times the ego can control the powerful, pleasure-seeking id, but at other times it
loses control (Feist, 29).
2.2.3. Superego
In Freud psychology, the superego, represents the moral and ideal aspects of personality
and is guided by the moralistic and idealistic principles as opposed to the pleasure principle
of the id and the realistic principle of the ego (Feist, 30). The superego strives neither for
pleasure, as does the id, nor for attainment for realistic goals as does the ego. It strives solely
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the ideal rather than the real and it strives for perfection rather than for reality or pleasure.
The superego is the person’s moral code (Hall, 31).
The superego has two subsystems, the conscience and the ego-ideal (Feist, 30). The
conscience is the appreciation of the good or bad related to our concrete behavior.
Conscience ruled or forbid us to do it. For example, when we think to lie and cover up our
bad deeds, then the conscience will whisper prohibition to don’t lie.
2.3. The definition of schizophrenia
According to Freud in Semiun’s book, the difference between normal and abnormal
people namely is terms of degrees. Normal and abnormal people are impulse by an irrational
impulse of id. In the normal people the ego has the power to control the instincts of the id and
to keep the punishment of the superego (13). So schizophrenia occurs because the ego does
not have the power to control the instincts id, ego defeated id and superego because both of
them stronger. In schizophrenics they lost most of his consciousness logical relationship
between body and soul, so that in some cases the behavior is not in line with the state of his
emotions. Research in the archives (Nevid, Rathus and Greene, 103) as in the following
cases:“Hellsmen” Angela:
19-year-old Angela was taken to the emergency room by her boyfriend Jaime because he
cut his wrist. When asked, his attention focused on something that looks like a creature in the
air, or on something that might be heard. He looks like having earphones that are not visible.
Angela says that he slit his wrist on the command "Hellamen" then he became afraid.
Afterwards he stated that hellsmen will punish her for her carelessness.
Jaime explains that Angela and she had been living together for almost a year. At first they
share the middle class apartment in the center of town. But Angela does not like being
surrounded by others and persuade Jaime rented a cottage outside the city. There Angela
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Sometimes he becomes Restlessness and behave as if something invisible was giving
instructions. His words became garbled.
Jaime persuaded him to go seek help, but he refused. Then, about nine bull ago, he began
cutting his wrist. Jaime sure have secured their place by getting rid of all knives and razors.
But Angela always find sharp object.
Jaime then it will help Angela to the hospital without protest. His wrist will be sewn,
Angela will be observed for a few moments, and then treated. He will say that he cut his
wrists because hellsmen tells him that she is evil and should die. After a few days in the
hospital, he will deny hear hellsmen and force it to exit.
Jaime would take her home. This pattern will be repeated.
Schizophrenia is one of the most serious of all behavior disorder (Shanmugam, 113),
based on Ardani’s book schizophrenia comes from the Greek have meaning split soul (the
meaning of schizo is split and phrenia is soul) (Ardani, 133), Schizophrenia is a general term
referring to a group of severe mental disorder marked by a splitting, or disintegration, of the
personality (Page, 236), split personality is the loss same of relationship between
consciousness that is a logical with the body and the soul, so the behavior and emotional state
are not fused.
The most striking clinical features include general psychological disharmony, emotional
impoverishment, dilapidation of thought processes, and absence of social rapport, delusions,
hallucinations, and peculiarities of conduct (Shanmugam, 133). The disorder is characterized
by delusions, hallucinations, disturbances in thinking and communication, and withdrawal
from social activity (Howell, 14). Disturbance in thinking and communication actually
experienced by people with autism but in this case people with autism disorders in the
nervous since birth and that schizophrenia was a neurological disorder that is caused by the
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Schizophrenia is a disorder characterized by severe personality disorganization, absence
of social rapport and an inability to interact with the environment, usually a person
experiencing schizophrenia disorganized thoughts, and experiencing delusions or auditory
hallucinations.
2.3.1. The causes of schizophrenia
According to Ardani’s book there are five causes of schizophrenia such as:
1. Organis,is changes in the structure of the nervous system. Caused by shrinkage
of the nervous system in some parts of the brain to shrink.
2. Schizothyme personality is mind of the chaotic. Most of people with
schizophrenia their mind messed up because they can’t appropriately respond to
the environment and most of them run away from the problem
3. Disorders of glands under brain. Because of the fluid in the brain are not balanced
which can also affect their behavior.
4. Schizophrenics usually have families who are experiencing mental disorders. So if
anyone has schizophrenia families who suffer from schizophrenia, then most
likely he would also degenerate.
5. Psychological causes, the existence of conflicts between superego and Id (Freud
theory), so schizophrenia occurs because the ego does not have the power to
control the instincts id, ego defeated id and superego because both of them
stronger. In schizophrenics they lost most of his consciousness logical relationship
between body and soul, so that in some cases the behavior is not in line with the
state of his emotions (Ardani, 134).
2.3.2. The Symptoms
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2.3.2.1Emotional Disorders
According to Page emotional disorders in schizophrenic are they tend to indifferent
and their emotional reactions flat without expression, and in the fact that it is extremely
difficult for normal people to establish friendly rapport with them (Page, 237).People who
have schizophrenia speech monotonous and retaining face without expression, they do not
respond emotionally to people and events. Or their emotional response is not appropriate, for
example people with schizophrenia will laugh when they hear bad news.
2.3.2.2Delusions
All their ideas and beliefs, however false, illogical, fantastic and out of keeping with
the patient's cultural background, are taken for granted (Page, 238). Usually the
schizophrenics often feel that others will catch and hurt them, or otherwise often felt he was a
major figure (Ardani, 137), people who have delusional disorder often stringing fear fantasy
in their minds such a way that they can’t distinguish it from reality.
2.3.2.3Hallucinations
Persons with schizophrenic may hear voices or see visions that are not there, or
experience unusual sensations on or in their bodies (Howell, 22). Auditory hallucinations,
sometimes they can listen to the voices that threaten, punish, frightening, and usually voice
ordering them to do things that may be harmful. Most of the some people with schizophrenia
experience command hallucinations, voices that ordered them to perform certain action, like
hurting themselves or others. In the example above study Angela, for example, he ruled by
"Hellsmen" to commit suicide.
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According to Howell thought disorder often occurs and is accompanied by
inappropriate emotional responses, such as words and moods are not connected to each other
(Howell, 22). So schizophrenic response to the atmosphere outside himself so badly, he did
not feel happy in a happy atmosphere, and he did not feel sad even though the atmosphere of
the environment is in mourning (Ardani, 137). People experiencing schizophrenia tend to
think in terms disorganized and illogical. In schizophrenia, shape or structure of the mind and
its contents are also often disrupted.
2.3.2.5Speech Disorders
Schizophrenics often words are not related (Ardani, 137). And normal people can’t
understand what is being said because it sounds inconsequential. Many schizophrenic are
mute or barely communicative. In some instances the paucity of speech results from their
self-absorption and lack of interest in social intercourse (Page, 240). Speech disorders people
with schizophrenia tend to him will more speak for themselves and more often muttering to
himself because they have their own world.
2.3.2.5.Other mental Symptoms
Deteriorated and emotionally disturbed cases frequently give the impression of being
completely disoriented (Page, 243). Usually, in the early onset of this disorder, schizophrenic
mental condition tends to decrease, between intelligence and mental ability of patients to
respond to the surrounding environment.
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The types of schizophrenia include simple schizophrenia, catatonic schizophrenia and
paranoid schizophrenia (Shanmugm ,117).
2.3.3.1Simple Schizophrenia
According to Shanmugam book’s Simple schizophrenia is characterized by oddities of
conduct, difficulties in social contact, schizophrenic thinking unreasonable (Shanmugam,
117). Simple schizophrenia the key symptom is apathy/indifferent (Page, 245).
2.3.3.2Hebephrenic Type
The term ‘Hebephrenia’ is derived from a Greek word meaning (youthful
mind)(Shanmugam, 118). Means youthful mind is their mind back to children. Tendency
such as childish silliness, emotional shallowness, bizarre delusions, hallucinations, jumbled
speech, and gross disintegration of the personality are the prominent symptoms (Page, 247).
Hebephrenic disorder is characterized by symptoms like hallucinations (particularly
auditory) and delusions of a sexual, religious, hypochondriacal and persecutory nature. But
these are vague and less organized (Shanmugam, 118).
Research in the archives (Nevid, Rathus and Greene, 118) as in the following cases
type Hebephrenic.
A man 40 years old who looks more like 30 years old was taken to hospital by his
mother, who said she was afraid of her son. It is hospital care the twelfth time. He wore a
ragged coat, baseball cap and sandals sleep, and some sports medals hanging around his neck,
effect ranged from anger (see throw of the attacks on the mother) laughing. He speaks to the
quality of childish and running with excessive limb movement and seemed to measure each
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starts a fire, his talk generally incoherent and often rhyming. The medical history revealed a
series of hospital care since the age of 16 years. Among hospital care, she lived with her
mother who is getting older, and often disappears for months, but sometimes escorted by
police to roam the streets.
2.3.3.3 Catatonic Type
The term catatonia means lessened muscle tone (Shanmugam, 118), so the veins
become stiff and frozen happens unconsciously. Limbs often linger in the same position.
According to Page schizophrenics are uncommunicative or speak in a monotonous
voice. They have expressionless faces and require assistance in dressing and eating. Some
strange behavior and often maintain the same posture for a long time, rigid. Upright pose as a
soldier (Page, 249). Schizophrenic feel they are accompanied by delusions of death and no
response at all to the environment, and sometimes angry without reason (Ardani, 138).
Research in the archives (Nevid, Rathus and Greene, 118) as in the following cases
type Catatonic.
A man 24 years of reflecting on his life, he said that he did not feel good, but it can’t
explain the feeling bad. When hospitalized, initially he could make contact premises of
others, but a few days later were found in horrific circumstances, his legs turned to positions
which seemed odd. He refused to talk to anyone and acted as though he can’t see or hear
anything. His face was like a mask without expression. A few days later he started to speak,
but by way of imitating. For example, he will respond to the question, "what is your name?"
By saying, "what's your name?" He can’t pay attention to they own needs and needs to be fed
to eat.
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Schizophrenic often feel suspicious, sensitive, his life is threatened, cheated,
observed, followed, hurt even they feel that others will fight, persecute and even kill them
(Page, 254). In shanmugam book’s paranoid type of schizophrenia is marked by numerous
systematic delusions and hallucinations frequently of persecutory nature, resulting in loss of
critical judgment and unpredictable behavior. Paranoid schizophrenics are generally often
alert, agitated, talkative, aggressive but also confused and afraid. They do not show signs of
regression (119).
According to Ardani schizophrenic feel a deep love someone who exceeds reasonable
limits and obsessed, often feel jealous excessive and without any logical reason on their
partner (Ardani, 139).
Research in the archives Nevid, Rathus and Greene as in the following cases type
paranoid (119)
A 25-year-old woman looks frightened. He was shaking and looked like someone
who Fears that he may be attacked at any time. The night before she was found cowering in
the corner the local bus terminal, slurred and incoherent talking himself, and had arrived a
few minutes earlier by bus from Philadelphia. Terminal manager called the police, who took
him to the hospital. He told the interviewer that he had to leave Philadelphia because the
mafia is getting close to him. He is a school teacher, he explained, at least until the voices
Began to bother him, the voices that will tell her that he was badly and must be punished.
Sometimes his voice voices in his head. Sometimes they speak to him and through electronic
cables in her apartment. The voices told him how one of the mafia will come to kill him. He
felt one of his neighbors, a shy boy who lived on the bottom floor of conspiring with the
Mafia. He felt the only hope for him is to escape. Go somewhere, anywhere. So he jumped
Khumairoh39
In this part the writer mentions the study that has been done by other researcher. The
writer uses the previous of the study that has relationship with the topic of the writer’s
research. The previous study is the thesis or research which has same topic, theory and focus
of research.
The thesis belongs to Abadli Farida, a study of Kasdi Merbah Ouargla University
Faculty of Letters and Languages Department of Foreign Languages Section of English in
Algeria entitle Mystery and Oddity in Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell Tale Heart.In this
research, the writer focuses on the content of the story in order to show ways in which
mystery and oddity operate in the story, but in my thesis focus on the psychology character in
the short story. From this work that, the short story of Edgar Allan Poe The Tell Tale Heart is
mysterious, odd and highly imaginative.
The next review was from Khusnul Mufalikha a student of Universitas 17 Agustus
1945 with the title Darby shaw’s paranoid personality disorder in John Grisham’s The
Pelican Brief in this research, the study focus on the Analyzing Paranoid Personality Disorder
of Darby Shaw in John Grisham’s The Pelican Brief. The main character, Darby Shaw has
paranoid characteristic of distrust to other and has a constant suspicion that people around her
sinister motives, she also has excessive fear and avoids close relationship with other. Actually
Khusnul Mufalikha’s thesis and my thesis same focus but different story.
Based on the previous study above, the writer wants to analyze about one of
characteristics of Abnormal Psychology namely schizophrenia type of paranoid. The writer
chooses Edgar Allan Poe short storyThe Tell Tale Heartto show what the paranoid
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CHAPTER III
ANALYSIS
This chapter contains data analysis of the “I” character as Narrator and his paranoid
schizophrenia is presented in this chapter. The writer divides this chapter into three main
parts as answer of the problem. The first part is narrator’s characterization in the short story,
the second is cause of the character “I” schizophrenia, and the last the effects of the of the
narrator’s paranoid schizophrenia.
3.1 “I” Character and characterization in Short Story The Tell Tale Heart
This is part explain about narrator characterization. The story of The Tell Tale Heart
is delivered using first person point of view which ‘I’ there is no name and who ‘I’ all the
event, experiences he has. He is the one who tells to the readers about what he does, speaks
and thinks everything around him. The things that he can also tell about are just limited to
them that correlate with him. For instance, other characters only appear when they have to
deal with narrator and information about them in on narrator charge. So, narrator
automatically becomes the main character because he appears on the whole story.
In Nurgiantoro books that main character is character that always appears and
dominates the whole story (176). View in fiction, main character automatically becomes the
protagonist. The usage of first person to narrator makes reader to fell really involved in.
reader give empathy totally to main actor (63). Therefore, ‘I’ also belongs to protagonist
character that readers can really fell his abnormal to crime the old ma.
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Actually, the narrator does not hate the old man was in fact the narrator is very fond
of the old man because the old man was never hurt I, I insulting want especially treasure the
old man.
“I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire”(Poe, 7).
So I loved the old man because he lived with the old man every day, and the old man
was kind to him, so he considered like family.
3.1.2. ‘I’ is Suffering Paranoid
The above statement shows that I is terribly afraid of the eye of the old man. The eye
of the old man gives a terrifying impression to I every time I accidentally sees. If the eye does
not have any power, it is impossible for I to be afraid of. The only logical reason about I fear
because I is shadowed with the belief about old man’s eye perceived to harm other people
merely by gazing or looking at it.
I suffers a delusion of persecution, where I is suspicious that evil eye can harm him.
Under this delusion, I start to believe that he is affected by the old man’s eye. I indirectly
admit that the old man’s eye leads him in to an unknown disease, which has changed all of
his senses.
“TRUE! nervous very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad? The disease had sharpened my senses not destroyed not dulled
them. Above all was the of hearing acute. I heard all things in the heaven and in the
earth. I heard many things in hell. How, then, am I mad? Hearken! And observe how
healthily -- how calmly I can tell you the whole story.” (Poe, 7)
3.1.3. ‘I’ was Murdered Old Man
Because of fears that finally I of plotting to kill a planned during the week, on the
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the heavy bed over him. And then he mutilated old man's body, and he had hidden in the
floor of the house.
“And now a new anxiety seized me- the sound would be heard by a neighbor! The old
man’s hours had come! With a loud yell, I threw open the lantern and leaped into the
room. He shrieked once-once only. In an instant I dragged him to the floor, and pulled
the heavy bed over him. I then smiled gaily, to find the deed so far done”. (Poe, 9)
3.1.4. ‘I’ is a Good Actor
But the incident last night heard by neighbors and neighbors reported to the police and
with a very relaxed and confident he welcomed the police with a friendly and took her around
the house and she explained that screams last night was because he was delirious, and he told
me that the old man was not home and asked her to sit in the old man he did it all in stride
without fear.
“I smiled, --for what had I to fear? I bade the gentlemen welcome. The shriek, I said, was my own in a dream. The old man, I mentioned, was absent in the country. I took
my visitors all over the house. I bade them search --search well. I led them, at length,
to his chamber. I showed them his treasures, secure, undisturbed. In the enthusiasm of
my confidence, I brought chairs into the room, and desired them here to rest from
their fatigues, while I myself, in the wild audacity of my perfect triumph, placed my
own seat upon the very spot beneath which reposed the corpse of the victim. The
officers were satisfied. My manner had convinced them. I was singularly at ease.
They sat, and while I answered cheerily, they chatted of familiar things. But, ere long,
I felt myself getting pale and wished them gone.” (Poe, 11)
While he could conceal his actions but over time he heard the voice of the old man's
heart from the ground floor, loud and growing louder so that he could no longer bear to admit
his own murder by showing the location of the bodies were repulsed it.
“No doubt I now grew very pale; --but I talked more fluently, and with a heightened voice. Yet the sound increased --and what could I do? It was a low, dull, quick sound
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noise steadily increased. I arose and argued about trifles, in a high key and with
violent gesticulations; but the noise steadily increased. Why would they not be gone?
I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to fury by the observations
of the men --but the noise steadily increased. Oh God! what could I do? I foamed --I
raved --I swore! I swung the chair upon which I had been sitting, and grated it upon
the boards, but the noise arose over all and continually increased. It grew louder
--louder ----louder! And still the men chatted pleasantly, and smiled. Was it possible they
heard not? Almighty God! --no, no! They heard! --they suspected! --they knew! --they
were making a mockery of my horror!-this I thought, and this I think. But anything
was better than this agony! Anything was more tolerable than this derision! I could
bear those hypocritical smiles no longer! I felt that I must scream or die! and now
--again! --hark! louder! louder! louder! louder!”
"Villains!" I shrieked, "dissemble no more! I admit the deed! --tear up the planks!
here, here! --It is the beating of his hideous heart!". (Poe, 12)
And finally he confessed to screaming with fear and showed where he hid the bodies
of the old man was very frightened, because he heard the beating of the old man's heart.
3. 2. The Cause of Paranoid Schizophrenia
I’s paranoid schizophrenia is caused by himself. This happens due to I’s Ego mixes
the two perceptional disturbance, delusion and hallucination, with the environment, including
the old man, his master, resulting that his ego has lost contact with the reality. The lost
contact with the reality is obvious when I judge that the one of the eye of the old man is an
Evil Eye just merely it is a pale blue eye with a film over it
I described the eyes as pale blue eye with a movie over it so that the link I to eye
vulture, one of his eyes resembled vultures of pale blue eye, with a sensitive movie once
when he saw the man's eyes. He felt his blood froze and tremendous fear every time the old
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“TRUE! nervous very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad? The disease had sharpened my senses not destroyed not dulled
them. Above all was of hearing acute. I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth.
I heard many things in hell. How, then, am I mad? Hearken! And observe how
healthily -- how calmly I can tell you the whole story.” (Poe, 7)
I life is always in danger he is always threatened by the old man's eyes that haunted
him every night.
“It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain; but once conceived, it
haunted me day and night”. (Poe, 7)
After 'I' to help the old man he felt threatened by the beating heart of the old man's
corpse.
But, are long, I felt myself getting pale and wished them gone. My head ached, and I
fancied a ringing in my ears: but still they sat and still chatted. The ringing became more
distinct: it continued and became more distinct: I talked more freely to get rid of the feeling:
but it continued and gained definitiveness until, at length, I found that the noise was not
within my ears.
Because of the condition of the old man's eyes, ‘I’ becomes paranoid, excessive
suspicion invaded the country when ‘I's mind. Paranoid is reflected in the statement of his
own, as in the following passage:
Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold. (Poe, 8)
The above statement shows that the narrator was very scared eyes of parents. The eyes of
parents give the impression of scary narrator whenever the narrator accidentally saw. If the
eye does not have any power, it is impossible for the narrator becomes afraid. The only
Khumairoh30
‘I’ suffering from delusions of persecution, in which the narrator suspect that the old
man’s eye can harm him. Under this delusion, the narrator begins to believe that he was
influenced by the old man's eye. Indirectly ‘I’ admit that eye took him to an unknown
disease, which has changed all his senses. This can be evidenced in the following excerpt:
Disease has sharpened not think I do not destroy their blunt (Poe, 8)
Hallucinations appear in the narrator's life is in the form of a voice, a voice that did not
even exist or real so-called auditory hallucinations. ‘I’ suffer as a specific disease that he
believes to understand his hearing become sharper than ever. As a result, he was able to hear
the sound that he thought to be the voice of heaven, earth and hell. Unfortunately, it is not
explained what it sounds like heaven and earth, and what he likes. However, ‘I’ emphasizes
the sound of hell and then really affect him and brought him into the deep terror. This can be
seen in the following quote:
Disease had sharpened my feelings do not disintegrate not dulled them. On top of that
the sense of hearing acute. I heard all things in the heavens and on earth. I heard many
things in hell. (Poe, 11)
Other auditory hallucinations found in the narrator in the eighth night when his head in
the old man's room waiting for the eyes of the parents open. The narrator feels that parents
produce a sound that sounds like a groan he recognized the mortal terror, as quoted saying:
Currently, I heard a slight groan, and I knew it was a moan of mortal terror. It was not
a groan of pain or sorrow oh no! - It was a low muffled sounds that emerge from the
soul when overcharged with awe. (Poe, 10)
Actually, the sound comes from the narrator's own unconscious, because the
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‘I’ was really nervous, so that is why the heart beats faster. The heartbeat sound grows
louder and faster drives the narrator becomes angry. The narrator also mentions that the heart
rate is analogous to the drums beating to stimulate courage army '. As shown in this
statement:
as Beating drum stimulates the soldier into courage. (Poe, 11)
‘I’ suffer from delusions, in which the ‘I’ suspect that eye, can harm him. Under this
delusion, the narrator begins to believe that he was influenced by the old man's eye. ‘I’
indirectly admit that the evil eye took him to an unknown disease, which has changed all his
senses. This can be evidenced in the following excerpt:
Disease has sharpened not think I do not destroy their blunt (Poe, 11)
However, the Id feels that its demand is still not fulfilled, because the fear is still
haunting. In result, the ego gives another way which known as displacement. In
displacement, the energy seeks for the other safer satisfaction. The narrator tends to use the
term of evil eye to create a rational impression for the ego. The displacement gives
expression that now the narrator is afraid of the eye of the old man that has evil force, the
narrator calls the old man’s eye as the evil eye. This can be seen in the next quote:
It was not the old man who vexed me, but his evil eye. (Poe, 7)
The only reason the narrator calls the eye as an evil eye firstly because it resembles of a
vulture that gives a horrifying sight and secondly because of the colour of eye is blue, that is
said to be the colour of the evil eye.
It has mention that the Id contains all repressed ideas. It is possible that when the narrator
was a child or has grown up, someone tells about the superstitious power of old man’s eye.
Khumairoh32
afraid, he unconsciously repressed the story and, of course, placed in the unconscious zone,
the zone that cannot easily be recalled like events, days or other things that memorize able.
The evil eye can also refer to a belief that is the oldest and most widespread superstition
that has been described in the previous section, delusion. The fear because of the blue eye
with film that posses eye force is then sublimated under this belief. Sublimation is an act to
make the satisfaction transfers into another object that has more valuable. Base on this belief,
the Ego tries to comfort itself by using the belief as a fundamental of its logical reason to
conduct anything that is needed to obtain greater satisfaction.
Based on the previous quotation that stated that the colour of eye is blue with a film over
it. The narrator believes that the old man eye is evil eye, since the main characteristic of evil
eye is resembles the eye of a vulture that possesses a cloudy part covering the eye lens or a
film, as the narrator says. The narrator named the cloudy area of the eye as the damned spot
since it is thought to be evil, associated with witch craft, like is stated in the following
quotation:
…for I had directed the rays as if by instinct, precisely upon the damned spot. (Poe, 8) The Ego is also thinking that eye is also causing him into a certain disease. The evil eye
is perceived to be the cause of unexplainable illness and misfortunes of any kind only by
looking at someone. The undetermined disease creates the narrator’s senses more sensitive
ever, especially his hearing sense. This can be seen in the following quotes:
The disease had sharpened my senses- not destroyed- not dulled them. Above all was
the sense of hearing acute. I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth. I heard
many things in hell.(Poe, 11)
Rationalization is also developed to protect the Ego becomes rational. However, in this
case, the logic of the Ego has already defeated by the instincts of the death that brought by
the Id. although the narrator is afraid by the eye, he continuously watches the eye at midnight.
Khumairoh33
see the eye opens. Because of the belief that the ego consider rational, the ego of the narrator
finally decides that to obtain the satisfaction, the eye must be demolished. The most defected
ways of the defend mechanism is that of denial. The Ego does lost the rational principle by
protecting its integrity with the Id through something that is not logic, the belief so the Ego
now is denies that narrator is insane. The narrator uses the word mad refers to insanity. The
following quotation:
True! Nervous, very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you
say that I am mad? How the, am I mad? Hearken and observe how healthy-how
calmly I can tell you the whole story. (Poe, 7)
‘I’ suggests that he is not mad but dreadfully nervous. This is a denial, since he
emphasizes the word will to refer to the other person’s opinion that he is a crazy person. The
narrator actually knows that he is insane by using the word “dreadfully nervous” consciously,
but he still denies that he is an insane by using the word dreadfully nervous consciously but
he still denies that he is an insane one that is shown in the next quotation.
Now this is the point. You fancy me mad. Mad men know nothing. But you have seen
me. You should have seen how wisely I proceeded with what caution-with foresight,
with what dissimulation, I went to work. (Poe, 7)
‘I’ thinks that he is healthy as a normal person is by suggesting that a crazy person
cannot do what he does, such as cautious and wise the narrator think that he is a smart person
that is careful with his work that has neatly planned. Nevertheless, regarding to the narrator’s
statement about dissimulation, it is obvious that the narrator as if the narrator could cope his
fear that causes him to be dreadfully nervous. A mentally healthy person will not suffer a
dreadful nervous, nervous because of a terror that caused in that person’s inner life, psyche.
In other word, the narrator pretends that he is mentally healthy by comparing himself to the
insane person. This can be seen in this quotation:
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3.3 The Effect of the Character ‘I’ Schizophrenia
Character ‘I’ of schizophrenic was that he was sensitive. A schizophrenic will feel
sensitive to anything they think is scary. Such as 'I's character has false belief with old man
eye. It has been elaborated previously that I character himself causes his paranoid
schizophrenia which is characterized by the presence of delusions and hallucinations.
It also has been mention that I’s Id wants to be satisfied in odder that Id can cope with
the fear and strange anxiety and I’s Ego cannot reduce the Id’s tension, although the Ego has
tried to be rational and logical. Due to the tension that the Id creates, the Ego has only one
solution in order to be relief from the tension, following what the Id says by committing a
murder to the old man that is executed by the Superego. They can satisfied the Ego from two
delusion states, delusional of grandeur, in which the narrator feels that he is a noble person
who has the ability to destroy the power of the evil eye. The Id chooses to kill the old man to
again satisfaction because basically, Id’s characteristic is savage, amoral and unprincipled.
The Id can be dominate to rule the Ego because the relationship between the Ego and the Id is
like a lumpy ball, where when the Ego is on top, the Id sometimes can take control. This
means that the Id can rule the Ego as it happens in the life of ‘I’. The Ego and superego
occupy the same, the consciousness.
The main character of these two elements of psyche is that to be rational by thinking
logically and based on the reality principle. Since the Ego has lost its reality, the Superego,
the self-control is automatically also becomes irrational.
3.3.1‘I’ is Murdered Old Man
The irrationality of the superego starts when I character behavior becomes strange, as
described in the previous section, that I sneak into the old man’s rooms just to watch the eye
Khumairoh35
eye. It is said to be strange because ‘I’ want to see eye although he is afraid to death with the
eye. I’s character is willing to wait the eye open and when he is going to enter the room, I’s
character carefully opens the latch, slowly puts his head in and puts in a dark lantern, which
is used to see the eye, this “peeping process” takes a long time every night for seven days but
the narrator does not get what he wishes for. This can be seen in the following quote:
And night, just about mid night, I turned the latch of his door and opened it—oh so
gently! And then, when I had made an opening sufficient for my head, I put in dark
lantern, all closed, closed, that no light shone out, and then I thrust in my head. (Poe,
7) it took me an hour to place my whole head within the opening so far that I could
see him as he lay upon his bed (Poe, 7).
And when my head was well in the room, I undid the lantern cautiously oh, so
cautiously (for the hinges creaked), I undid it just so much that a single thin ray fell
upon the vulture eye. (Poe, 8)
The super ego actually knows that what the narrator does is ridiculous and abnormal,
such as I head in the also obviously shown in the following quote:
You should have laughed to see how cunningly I thrust in it! (Poe, 11)
‘I’ is aware by saying that it is funny, as shown is the word laughed, but the narrator
continues to do it.
On the eight nights, I do what he usually does but with more caution than in the
previous seven days. The narrator describes his caution by heightening the sentence.
A watch minute hand moves more quickly than did mine. (Poe, 9)
This sentence show how slow the narrator is so that he maintains the aspect of
caution. When I see the eye, his statement really gives a sense of sight by saying with a
metaphor, as show in the following quotation:
I resolved to open a little a very little- crevice in the lantern. So I opened it you cannot
imagine how stealthily, stealthily- until, at light, a single dim ray, like a thread of the
Khumairoh36
I compare the light from the lantern with a thread of the spider. The light is so thin,
that is hardly visible so that resembles a thread of the spider. I is also says that he does not on
purpose to directs the light precisely on the eye, but by instinct, as shown in this quotes:
But I could see nothing else of the old man’s face or person: for I had directed the ray
as if by instinct, precisely upon the damned spot. (Poe, 88)
The instinct is the death instinct that passes through the Ego and the super ego. The
instinct that cause the hatred, is fully invaded I’s mind by directing exactly on the eye, the
eye that the narrator hate and fear.
Because the eye of the old man is opened, I grown furious and the auditory
hallucination mixes with his thought, which now fills with all idea of death, so that a few
moment later the narrator kills the old man by dragging old man from his bed and put the old
man’s heavy bed over him. After the narrator check that the old man is dead, he become
relief. I believe that after he kills the old man with his evil eye, I will not be bothered with the
eye again. This is shown in the following quote:
His eye would trouble me no more. (Poe, 7)
Because ‘I’ is now hated the old man, I treats the dead old man’s body cruelly, ‘I’
dismembered the old man’s body into four parts, the head, legs, arms and body, put in three
planks, and hides them in the scantlings.
3.3.2 ‘I’ is a Good Actor
Nevertheless, the hallucination still stick to I hearing sense after the murder and until
the two police officer arrive. The hallucination about the heartbeat that is enveloped in cotton,
as described in the discussion of hallucination. This sound causes the narrator develops a
great paranoia, the state of great suspiciousness about what I hears is not only sound in his
ears, but the sound is form the surrounding. That is why I become in a deep terror; a terror
Khumairoh37
But anything was better that this agony! Anything was more tolerable than this
derision (Poe, 10)
I is suspicious that the two police officers hear the heartbeat but pretend not to hear it.
This drives I furious, because I think that the two policemen are mocking him. This is shown
in the next quotation:
They knew! They were making a mocking of my horror. The superego of I, which has
abandon the reality because of the great fantasy had becomes superior, is also cannot hold the
pain. Because ‘I’ thinks that the two policemen are mocking him, the I feels to be harassed so
that the super ego, the self pride, of I superego also cannot bear its burden because of the
auditory hallucination that keeps disturbing with its loudness and speed, I finally admits his
deed and shows the place where ‘I’ hide the dismembered body by himself because of the
heart beat sounds. This can be proved in the following quote:
Villains, i shrieked, dissemble no more! I admin the deed!- tear up the planks!- here,
here!- it is the beating of his hideous heart.(Poe, 10)
Actually, the two police know nothing and do not find anything wrong with the house
because they have investigated it. The two police do not know if there is a murder, moreover,
a cruel murder. Nevertheless, it is I himself who admit his own deed to the police who are
Khumairoh 41
CHAPTER IV
CONCLUSION
Paranoid schizophrenia is a psychosis that involves with major disorganization of
thought process, emotional responses and perception of the world so that ends with serious
inability to think rationally and correctly to perceive the world. The main symptoms are the
presence of delusion and hallucination in the life of paranoid schizophrenic.
In Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart, the main character, I does suffer paranoid
schizophrenia. I paranoid schizophrenia is characterized with the belief about the power of
Evil Eye that is linked to the eye of the old man and bizarre sounds that the narrator hears,
such as continuous heartbeat. The first is called delusion because it deals with a false belief
and the other one is called auditory hallucination because the things that haunted I in the form
of sound. Because of it he murdered old man and become Good Actor.
I’s paranoid schizophrenia is caused by himself. This happens due to I’s Ego mixes
the two perceptional disturbance, delusion and hallucination, with the environment, including
the old man, his master, resulting that his ego has lost contact with the reality. The lost
contact with the reality is obvious when I judge that the one of the eye of the old man is an
Evil Eye just merely it is a pale blue eye with a film over it. Because the Ego has lost its
ability to perceive the world logically, the Super Ego is also becomes illogical that results in
murdering the old man as the solution to relief the Id, Ego from the paranoid and terrified
thinking and satisfaction for the Super Ego, the self control that deals with moral, pride and
dignity. Nevertheless, I is still haunted with the heartbeat, the hallucination. Therefore,
because the narrator is powerless, he finally confesses his own guilt to the police officers who
Khumairoh 42
And the effect of character I schizophrenia is he was sensitive. Actually a
schizophrenic will feel sensitive to anything and they think is scary. Such as I’s character has
false belief with old man eye. So he could do something like he murdered old man and until
he acting likes Good Actor.
Based on the previous paragraph, it can be concluded that a mad, crazy or insane
person can do a crime. That person is aware of what he does with certain achievement and
purpose, like I, but he also unconsciously doing a crime. So, it is not impossible that a crazy
person kills or injuries others, like cases that happens in recent courts anywhere in the world.
Mostly the courts give exceptions to the criminal who confesses that they have mental
Khumairoh 43
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