Friday, July 12, 2013

What are three theories or questions you have about "The Fall of the House of Usher"?Short story by Edgar Allan Poe.

Does the story line insinuate that the curse over the house of Usher (the house as well as the family) was brought on by an incestuous relationship between the brother and sister? If so, what passages imply this?


Does Roderick fit the profile of a bipolar personality type?  If so, what passages indicate this is indeed the case?


What elements of foreshadowing prepare the reader for the end of the story?


In what way is the house itself a symbol (and of what)?


Why don't Roderick or the narrator respond more quickly when they hear strange noises coming from the crypt? What psychological defense mechanisms would be in action here?


How does the narrator of this story differ from the narrators of "The Black Cat," "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Pit and the Pendulum?"  Of the three, which narrator does he most resemble?

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