What was it—I paused to think—what was it that so unnerved me in the contemplation of the House of Usher? It was a mystery all insoluble ; nor could I grapple with the shadowy fancies that crowded upon me as I pondered.
What did Madeline suffer from in the House of Usher?
According to Roderick, Madeline suffers from a cataleptic disease that has gradually limited her mobility. As Roderick talks about his sister’s illness, the narrator sees her pass through a distant part of the house.
What is the significance of the house being called the House of Usher?
The narrator makes a point of telling us that the term “The House of Usher” refers no only to the estate, but to the family as well, the Usher bloodline . The title refers not just to the literal fall of the physical house, but the metaphorical fall of the Usher family.
How does Roderick feel about the House of Usher?
Like Madeline, Roderick is connected to the mansion, the titular House of Usher. He believes the mansion is sentient and responsible, in part, for his deteriorating mental health and melancholy .
What is Usher’s biggest fear in The Fall of the House of Usher?
What does Usher say is his biggest fear? What expectations does this set up about his fate? he is afraid he is going to lose his sick sister . This could mean he would go insane.
What’s wrong with Madeline?
Madeline suffers from a form of seizure disorder called catalepsy . An important fact to remember is that victims of this disease could enter into a state like a coma in which they appeared to be dead. Madeline, who has been gradually growing sicker, appears to die, and is buried by Roderick and the narrator.
Why did Roderick bury Madeline alive?
It has already been demonstrated that Roderick’s decision to hide away Madeline’s body followed his burial of her while she was still alive. ... Roderick, therefore, buried his sister alive because his hypochondria caused him to fear that her disease might spread to him . This is his motive for the murder.
What does the storm symbolize in The Fall of the House of Usher?
What does the storm symbolize in The Fall of the House of Usher? Roderick and the narrator soon realize Madeline may not be dead, indicating that the storm may symbolize the growing tension that eventually kills both Roderick and Madeline and drives the narrator from the house .
What did Roderick admit they had done without the visitor knowing?
What did Roderick admit they had done without the visitor knowing it? They buried Roderick’s sister alive (foreshadowed by the rosiness of her cheeks and smile on her lips) .
Why did the house of Usher Fall?
The Usher family falls when the last two heirs to the family name , brother and sister Roderick and Madeline, both die in front of the narrator. ... The implication is that once the family “house” dies, so does the physical house. Both the family line and the home have become decayed and lost their reason for being.
What was Roderick so afraid of?
In “The Fall of the House of Usher,” Roderick Usher fears that his house is having a negative effect on his spirit and contributing to his mysterious illness . Roderick also fears for his sister, Madeline, who similarly suffers from an unusual ailment.
What did usher do with Madeline’s body?
What did Usher want to do with his twin sister’s body? He wanted to place it in a vault within the house for a fortnight . Describe the vault in which Madeline was placed. It was small, damp, dark, beneath the narrator’s room, sheathed with copper, and it had a massive iron door.
What kills Roderick at the end of the story?
One conclusion to be drawn from the final scene is that Roderick dies of fear . Madeline rushes upon him and he falls to the floor a corpse, too terrified to go on living. As we’ll talk about in Madeline’s “Character Analysis,” it’s even possible that Madeline is just a physical embodiment of Roderick’s fears.
Why is Usher afraid of fear?
In “The Fall of the House of Usher,” Roderick Usher is afraid of fear itself because he is worried about the terror that future events will produce as much as the events in themselves .
What is the best statement of one of the main ideas in house taken over?
which option is the best statement of one of the main idea in “House Taken Over”? Each time people avoid confronting their fear, they lose a little more of themselves, until, finally, they have lost everything.
Why does Roderick act even more strange than before?
After Madeline’s death, why does Roderick act even more strange than before? He realizes for the first time that he is the only remaining member of his family. He starts hallucinating that a ghost has entered the room. His sickness gets even worse and causes Roderick to lose his mind .
