William Wilson appears what society deems "normal" in the beginning of the short story. He admits his faults in his "imaginative and easily excitable temperament" (pg. 66). He even begins his story by revealing remorse and shame for his past actions: "The fair page now lying before me need not be sullied with my real appellation," (pg. 66). These traits are those which characterize a "sane" mentality. The story goes on to describe the normal life of any boy away at school. Wilson gains the respect and admiration of others with his "ardor, enthusiasm and imperiousness" that are innate to popular and socially competent persons (pg. 70). However, when Wilson notices that there is one youth whom does not claim the admiration for Wilson as the others, Wilson becomes threatened. This Other person continually interferes with W

Bruno, in Strangers on a Train, is insane in the same likeness of the narrator of "Tell-Tale Heart." Bruno is very proud of his plan to "swapping murders" with someone else in order to kill his father. On the train, he brags to Guy about how no one will ever solve the cases because the killers have no motive; and therefore, will never be found. He also tells the women at the senator's party that he knows the perfect way to kill someone: strangulation. He is also mistaking his madness for genius. He believes that it is acceptable to kill someone if he can concoct a plan that will lead the police to suspect someone else of the murder. He and the narrator both believed that their murders were perfectly done because no one would ever suspect them since they had been accomplished with such precise brilliance. It is this lack of morality and guilt that reveals Bruno's insanity.

At this point, Wilson may be called insane for the brief moment he lost his hold on reality and killed attempted to kill what he believed was another living being-but there is yet an untold aspect of the role of the Other in Wilson's life. Wilson is not perceived as temporarily insane for a moment in rage, but as having a long-term illness. Wilson perceived the Other as almost a twin in resemblance and name: "I discovered the remarkable fact that we were of the same age, the same height, and I perceived that we were even singularly alike in general contour of the person and outline of feature," (pg. 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.

ilson's life in an unwelcome manner. Although, Wilson admits to almost developing a friendship with him, he becomes so disturbed with the Other's interference, that in a rage, he murders him.

Wilson co

Some common words found in the essay are:
Wilson Wilson, Evil Eye, William Wilson, Bruno Guy, Heart Bruno, Strangers Train, Tell-Tale Heart, Alfred Hitchcock, william wilson, tell-tale heart, wilson narrator, man's heart, narrator tell-tale, narrator tell-tale heart, heart beating, Bruno Strangers, Edgar Allen, bruno strangers train, pg 193, strangers train, bruno's insanity, mad narrator, man's heart beating, william wilson narrator,
Approximate Word count = 1662
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)