Internal vs. External Conflict

Tell-Tale Heart

          The internal conflict of story is the narrator's battle between skill and insanity, his schizophrenia and psychosis. The narrator describes the old man to be loving, kind and that old man never did him wrong. But he believes that he must end the old man's life simply because the old man's "evil eye" disturbed him. Eventually he ends the old man's life and while being questioned by the police, his guilt overcame his joy so greatly he was driven to confess and even expose where he buried the old man.

          The external conflict of the story is the police arriving at the old man's house because a nearby neighbor heard a the old man scream. The narrator plays it cool throughout the whole investigation but seems to hear a loud noise that no one else seems to hear except him. Eventually, to end the ruckus inside his head, he bashes his chair to the floorboards, exposing where he hid the old man's body and confesses.

          One of the lessons I learned is that killing a person, whether it was the right thing or not, it will still affect you, unless you have no humanity. In this case, killing the old man, filled up the old man with guilt. “See, rage is a really powerful feeling. But guilt… take it from me, guilt will destroy you." -Stefan Salvatore of The Vampire Diaries.