Tell-Tale Heart,' ‘The Imp of the Perverse,' and ‘The Black Cat' suffer from irresistible homicidal manias." (Asselineau, 414-15).The presence of so many horrible details might lead the reader to wonder if Poe was sincere in his tales; whether he was truly terrified in his heart, or if he was merely a mystifier who wrote what he felt the public wanted to read. Poe's attitude towards his writings is much more complex than is commonly realized. He never allows himself to be fully taken in by his vivid imagination. The frantic insanity is always accompanied by a certain amount of reason. The fear invoked is oftentimes tinged with skepticism – but his skepticism is also tinged with fear. However, for all the skepticism and exaggeration, fear always prevails....
