Examples Of Paranoia In The Raven

Haunting of Paranoia In the poem, The Raven, there is a tension that builds-up amidst a continuous cycle. The symbolisms in the poem allows the reader to get an idea of the current mental state of the narrator. The back and forth conflict between narrator and the environment proves that the narrator is bothered about who or what is outside his chamber. The narrator is unable to confront what he thinks is an entity, due to the presence of fear, which resulted from a traumatic mourning of a loss. The setting of the environment of the narrator, based on the description, is haunted. The event takes place “upon a midnight dreary” in December, during a season where people are celebrating, the narrator’s atmosphere is depressing.
The visual imagery of the

Instead of rapping and tapping, he hears a “flirt and a flutter”. A raven appears in his chamber. At this point, there has been progress between the narrator and the “potential presence” outside his chamber. He is now at the peak of his fear. Everything seems so unlikely. He tries to convince himself that it is not possible that events that are taking place are more that natural occurrences. He feels that it is odd to see a bird in his chamber. However, during instances where the narrator would hear the rapping and tapping of the chamber door, the narrator called out, "Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore; But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping, and so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,..” This shows that he is still opening his mind to the possibilities, despite the denial of what is really outside. “For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being ever yet was blest with seeing bird above his chamber door.”
The narrator, who at this point is drowning in his guilt and paranoia, “Respite—respite and nepenthe, from thy memories of