There are many unanswered questions discovered in trying to interpret what Edgar Allen Poe really was writing about in his short story, "The Fall of the House of Usher." The question here is what really happened in the story? Did the house actually fall? Was Usher's account of the week accurate?.
G. R. Thompson writes an essay he calls "Explained Gothic ("The Fall of the House of Usher")" in which he searches for the cause of the terror in the story. In a close reading his critical essay, problems with his interpretation seem quite obvious. Thompson is consistently inconsistent. A main focus is the narrator and the way Usher and the house affect his sanity. Thompson continually points out the narrator's lack of a sound mind, yet he still tries to find reason for some of the bizarre things the narrator describes. Then, Thompson points out that maybe none of the story actually happened except in the narrator's mind. Thompson appears to be critical of the narrator, yet believes the house really fell. In other parts of the essay, Thompson questions the narrator's story. He does not remain constant in his thinking throughout the entire essay. Does he believe the narrator or not? He points out it may not have happened, but does not further investigate this. While Thompson writes of the mind of the narrator, at times he tries to reason with his story, other times he questions the accuracy of it. He makes assumptions based on the smallest detail.
Thompson's work is most likely to be scrutinized based on his display of the narrator. Thompson continually points out weakness in the mind of the narrator, yet is later found trying to reason out the peculiar details told by the narrator. The house is described as having "a barely perceptible fissure, which, extending from the roof of the building in front, made its way down the wall in a zigzag direction,".
Also inconsistent with Thompson is his discussion of the narrator's account of the fall of the house.
Edgar Allen Poe Have you ever read a story so insane that you wonder how the author came up with it? Edgar Allen Poe was one of the authors that made you feel this way. ... For Edgar Allen Poe it was looniness, death and the feeling of no one loves you. Edgar Allen Poe was born in Boston on January 18,1809. ... Edgar Allen Poe had a tough life. ...
In Edgar Allan Poe's poems he writes about death and darkness. ... In Edgar Allen Poe's poem, The Bells, Poe tells how bells can play a part throughout death and this causes readers to dislike the poem but it also has a positive effect on readers when Poe tells of bells being used as symbols of love. ... In Edgar Allen Poe's ,The Raven, Poe uses a sense of darkness and evil throughout the poem by using the black bird as a symbol of evil. ... Throughout Edgar Allen Poe's life he has written many poems concerning death and darkness which has led his poems to success that crea...
Biographical Strategy of Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven" In Edgar Allen Poe's poem "The Raven" he is obviously speaking of the lost love in his own life, Virginia. ... "From my books surcease of sorrow-sorrow for the lost Lenore- For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore-" (Poe 377) Here, Poe creates an image of Lenore for the reader, portraying her rare and radiant beauty. ... Poe was devasted because of this loss, he resorted to drinking, drugs, and writing to rid his pain and misery. ... He states that he is trying to get his mind off the ...
Edgar Allen Poe uses this description in "The Fall of the House of Usher" in different ways. ... Edgar Allen Poe was born in Boston on January 19, 1809. ... (Poe, 182). ... Edgar Allen Poe achieves his lasting effect on the reader at the end. ... Edgar Allen Poe's stories will live on through the hearts of readers for years to come. ...
Throughout my study of Poe, I have noticed several very common themes. ... One of Edgar Allen Poe's most common themes was the unjust death of a woman that the narrator loved. One of my favorite stories by Poe that illustrates this theme is "The Raven." ... "Annabel Lee" is a good example of Edgar Allen Poe's contempt for death. ... I think this story might be similar to the way Edgar Allen Poe felt about his own wife's death; maybe he blamed himself for her slow, drawn-out illness. ...
In Edgar Allan Poe's poems he writes about death and darkness. ... In Edgar Allen Poe's poem, The Bells, Poe tells how bells can play a part throughout death and this causes readers to dislike the poem but it also has a positive effect on readers when Poe tells of bells being used as symbols of love. ... In Edgar Allen Poe's ,The Raven, Poe uses a sense of darkness and evil throughout the poem by using the black bird as a symbol of evil. ... Throughout Edgar Allen Poe's life he has written many poems concerning death and darkness which has led his poems to success that crea...
Edgar Allen Poe: Writing Style The short story writer which I have chosen to research is Edgar Allen Poe. ... In many of Poe's works, setting is used to paint a dark and gloomy picture in our minds. ... Setting is also an important characteristic is Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher". ... Vincent Buranelli says that "Poe is able to sustain an atmosphere which is dark and dull. ... Many of the characters in Poe's stories seem to be insane. ...
Edgar Allen Poe Incubus, phantasmagoric, cataleptical and miasma. ... Edgar Allen Poe uses strong advanced words for his literature such as The Fall Of The House Of Usher. ... Secondly, Edgar Allen Poe's story's theme was basically about dreams and hallucinations, which brings it to the next point. The Fall Of The House Of Usher is consist of many imaginations, which Edgar Allen Poe used in his idea to make this a fearful story. ... Edgar Allen Poe uses this complicated form to keep his theme interesting all through the story....
Egart allen poe's life was a disater, no matter the age. yes he was the famous writter and peot, but moste those things didnt help him any. poes life was hard , he had a lot of troubles, everyone he knew or loved died, he drank and he didnt do much of anything. you think his stories are scarry, wait untill you learn about his life. after poes dad left the family when he was one, things went wrong for poe, his mother dies when he was three of T.B. a freind of the familys took him in, the allens, but they did not legally adopt him, so he belonged to him-self. mrs allen raised him into...
Poe: The Darkness Edgar Allen Poe is the most well-known author of his time. Edgar Poe's ancestors were agriculturists and artisans on one side, and actors on the other. ... This was yet again another major disappointment in Poe's life (Allen, Gullette Pg.17). ... The human predisposition to evil and the materialistic view of the world (Gullette, Allen pg. 32). ... Edgar Allen Poe wa...
