Poe And Hitchcock

71). Yet, the Other did not exist to surrounding people: "Yet this superiority-even this equality [of the Other] -was in truth acknowledged by no one but myself," (pg. 50). Also, when Wilson crept into the Other's room during the night attempting to confront him, he found that he indeed resembled nothing of himself. Later, these unusual incidents that led to Wilson's mental breakdown are explained in the last line of the story: " In me didst thou exist-and in my death, see by this image, which is thy own, how utterly thou hast murdered thyself," (pg. 83). Wilson was undeniably insane throughout the entirety of the story because it was not a real person whom he fought with, like the person he saw in the Other's bed; but himself, as the mirror image that he stabbed. .
             Wilson conformed to society's standard rules for "normal." But it was not his action of attempting to murder another, nor his temperament that regards him as insane. Wilson is insane because he brought to life an aspect of himself and eradicated it. The Other was in fact a part of Wilson's imagination. Wilson's insanity led him to embody this kinder and more considerate side of himself into a human being that only he could see, hear and speak with; the sane person would recognize this as his own conscious or ethical guide. Wilson was unable to deal with this spilt personality everyone possesses; and the Other voice telling him to do what he did not want to drove him mad. .
             The narrator of the "Tell-Tale Heart" is mad in a similar manner as William Wilson. The narrator adores the old man with whom he lives with, but has a hard time tolerating the old man's cataract eye. "I loved the old man For his gold I had no desire. I think it was eye! Yes, it was this! He had the eye of a vulture-a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold," (pg. 193). Soon, the narrator premeditated the old man's death, but for several nights he could not accomplish the plan.