In 'The Tell-Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe, the ticking clock, beating heart, and lantern symbolize the waiting period, guilt and paranoia, and revelation of truth, respectively.
The ticking clock in 'The Tell-Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe symbolizes the waiting period before the anticipated end. The sound of the clock's ticking creates tension and builds suspense as the narrator plans and executes his crime, leading up to the climactic moment.
The beating heart symbolizes the guilt and paranoia of the narrator after committing the murder, serving as a constant reminder of his crime and leading to his eventual confession due to the overwhelming psychological impact.
Additionally, the lantern represents the revelation of truth and the exposure of the narrator's dark deeds, as it is used to illuminate the eye of the old man, symbolizing the revealing of hidden secrets.
