Fall of the House of Usher Theme Analysis
Prompt
You may submit the sheet you received in class or write it on a document and submit here if it is easier.
Background
In his definition of the short story, Poe stated that "truth is often, and in very great degree, the aim of the short story." In other words, in addition to being constructed to achieve a single effect, short stories are often written to make a point, or express a general truth about life. The general truth a story expresses is the story's theme. There have been many different interpretations of the theme of "The Fall of the House of Usher." Read the themes below, choose one, and find evidence and a key passage to support the theme you have chosen.
Complete this work on the attached handout.
Theme Choices
- In the absence of contact with the real world, the human imagination can produce a distorted perception of reality.
- When isolated from the real world, a person can be infected by another person's fears and false perceptions of reality.
- If artists (many critics believe that Roderick Usher represents a typical creative artist) completely turn away from the external world and become drawn into the internal world of their imaginations, they ultimately destroy their capacity to create and may eventually destroy themselves.
- The landscape and the minds of the characters are mirror images reflecting the theme of nothingness-the house and family are lifeless, barren.
- The Ushers betray their individuality: as a result, they love, merge (hence this is called the "incest theme") and become one being, and eventually drag each other to death.
- The apocalypse, the ending of the world and the collapse of all constructions at the moment of final judgment, befalls the Ushers (hence this is called the "apocalyptic theme.)
Finding Evidence
- Explain how the theme can be seen as a valid interpretation of the meaning of the story. A Valid Critical Analysis is one that applies to the entire text. Show how the theme is valid by giving 3 examples: one from the beginning, one from the middle, and one from the end of the short story (see handout).
- Find a key passage which illustrates the theme. A key passage is defined as shorter section, about 8-30 lines, of a longer work of fiction which sharply illuminates theme or character, captures an important element of the whole story, and is more richly composed than other sections. "Richness" can be seen in philosophical content, detail, or word choice. Find ONE key passage to support the theme (see handout).
Response
Theme Choice
In the absence of contact with the real world, the human imagination can produce a distorted perception of reality.
Finding Evidence: Examples From Story
View PDF
| Page Number | Specific Textual Examples | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Beginning Example | At the beginning of the story, the narrator arrives at the House of Usher and immediately feels an overwhelming sense of dread that seems disproportionate to the actual scene. The house’s appearance and atmosphere inexplicably affect his mood, indicating the start of his distorted perception. |
| 27 | Middle Example | The narrator becomes increasingly enmeshed in Usher's gloomy and distorted world, engaging in activities that seem disconnected from reality. Their avoidance of speaking about Madeline and the dream-like state induced by Roderick's music contribute to a shared hallucinatory experience. |
| 33 | End Example | In the climax, as the house physically splits and collapses, which may or may not be real. This apocalyptic event reflects the ultimate distortion of reality where the house's fall is mirrored in the mind's complete break from reality. |
Finding Evidence: Key Passage
Page Number: 33
Write out passage:
I rushed from the room; I rushed from the house. I ran. The storm was around me in all its strength as I crossed the bridge. Suddenly a wild light moved along the ground at my feet, and I turned to see where it could have come from, for only the great house and its darkness were behind me. The light was that of the full moon, of a bloodred moon, which was now shining through that break in the front wall, that crack which I thought I had seen when I first saw the palace. Then only a little crack, it now widened as I watched. A strong wind came rushing over me — the whole face of the moon appeared. I saw the great walls falling apart. There was a long and stormy shouting sound — and the deep black lake closed darkly over all that remained of the house of usher.
Why this passage is important to the theme:
The specific passage shows how being cut off can make people see reality in a twisted way. As the narrator runs away, the crashing down of the house and the storm around him mix up what's real and what's imagined. The blood-red moon and the growing crack in the wall are like pictures of his fear growing out of control. When the house finally collapses, it's as if the imagined fears have come to life. Poe's intense descriptions make the ending a clear picture of how deep isolation can trick the mind into seeing things that aren't there.