Here are some key moments where the speaker's paranoia intensifies:
* The Raven's Arrival: The speaker is already in a state of melancholia, mourning Lenore. The arrival of the raven, with its ominous presence and unsettling pronouncements, immediately adds to the speaker's anxiety.
* The First "Nevermore": The speaker asks the raven if he will ever be reunited with Lenore in heaven. The raven's response, "Nevermore," triggers a surge of despair and hopelessness.
* The Repetition of "Nevermore": As the speaker desperately searches for answers and reassurance, the raven's relentless repetition of "Nevermore" becomes increasingly maddening. This constant negativity amplifies the speaker's fears and doubts.
* The Raven's Unblinking Gaze: The raven's fixed, unwavering gaze adds to the speaker's unease. It feels like the bird is judging him, knowing his secrets and reflecting his growing paranoia.
* The Speaker's Hallucination: The speaker eventually begins to see the raven as a symbol of his own impending doom. The bird becomes a tangible embodiment of his deepest fears. He hallucinates the raven saying "Nevermore" even when it's silent.
It's important to note that the speaker's paranoia is not solely a product of the raven's presence. His own grief, guilt, and despair contribute significantly to his descent into madness. The raven acts as a catalyst, reflecting and amplifying the speaker's internal turmoil.
Therefore, the speaker's paranoia doesn't have a single, definitive moment. Instead, it grows steadily throughout the poem as a consequence of the speaker's internal struggles and the raven's unsettling presence.