admitted that all this was only what I had expected — I was still surprised at the strange ideas which grew in my mind from these simple things.
The room I came into was very large and high. The windows were high, and pointed at the top, and so far above the black floor that they were quite out of reach. Only a little light, red in color, made its way through the glass, and served to lighten the nearer and larger objects. My eyes, however, tried and failed to see into the far, high corners of the room. Dark coverings hung upon the walls. The many chairs and tables had been used for a long, long time. Books lay around the room, but could give it no sense of life. I felt sadness hanging over everything. No escape from this deep, cold gloom seemed possible.
As I entered the room, Usher stood up from where he had been lying and met me with a warmth, which at first I could not believe was real. A look, however, at his face told me that every word he spoke was true.
We sat down; and for some moments, while he said nothing, I looked at him with a feeling of sad surprise. Surely, no man had ever before changed as Roderick Usher had! Could this be the friend of my early years? It is true that his face had always been unusual. He had gray-white skin; eyes large and full of light; lips not bright in color, but of a beautiful shape; a well-shaped nose; hair of great softness — a face that was not easy to forget. And now the increase in this strangeness of his face had caused so great a change that I almost did not know him. The horrible white of his skin, and the strange light in his eyes, surprised me and even made me afraid. His hair had been allowed to grow, and in its softness it did not fall around his face, but seemed to lie upon the air. I could not, even with an effort, see in my friend the appearance of a simple human being.
In his manner, I saw at once, changes came and went; and I soon found that this resulted from his attempt to quiet a very great nervousness. I had indeed been prepared for something like this, partly by his letter and partly by remembering him as a boy. His actions were first too quick and then too quiet. Sometimes his voice, slow and trembling with fear, quickly changed to a strong, heavy, carefully spaced, too perfectly controlled manner. It was in this manner that he spoke of the purpose of my visit, of his desire to see me, and of the deep delight and strength he expected me to give him. He told me what he believed to be the nature of his illness. It was, he said, a family sickness, and one from which he could not hope to grow better — but it was, he added at once, only a nervous illness, which would without doubt soon pass away. It showed itself in a number of strange feelings. Some of these, as he told me of them, interested me but were beyond my understanding; perhaps the way in which he told me of them added to their strangeness. He suffered much from a sickly increase in the feeling of all his senses; he could eat only the most tasteless food; all flowers smelled too strongly for his nose; his eyes were hurt by even a little light; and there were few sounds which did not fill him with horror. A certain kind of sick fear was completely his master.
“I shall die,” he said. “I shall die! I must die of this fool’s sickness. In this way, this way and no other way, I shall be lost. I fear what will happen in the future, not for what happens, but for the result of what happens. I have, indeed, no fear of pain, but only fear of its result — of terror! I feel that my time will soon arrive when I must lose my life, and my mind, and my soul, together, in some last battle with that horrible enemy: fear!”
Step 2: Analyze the short story for tone, imagery & sensory details (10 pts)
Fill out the chart below using “The Fall of the House of Usher” from Part 1.
1 answer
Certainly! Below is an analysis of the tone, imagery, and sensory details from "The Fall of the House of Usher" by Edgar Allan Poe.
| Element | Description |
|-------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Tone | The tone of the excerpt is somber, melancholic, and foreboding. The description of the room and Roderick Usher's condition creates a sense of unease and dread. The narrator's impressions convey a sense of sadness and mystery, reflecting themes of decay and madness. |
| Imagery | The imagery is rich and vivid. Phrases such as "high and pointed windows," "black floor," "dark coverings," and "horrible white of his skin" create stark visual contrasts. The description of the room as void of life and filled with gloom depicts a haunted atmosphere. |
| Sensory Details | - Sight: The low light filtering through red glass, the high ceilings, and the peculiar appearance of Usher contribute to a feeling of strangeness. The 'gray-white skin' and 'large and full of light' eyes create an unsettling visual image. <br> - Sound: The reference to Usher's voice, which varies from trembling fear to a controlled manner, reflects his unstable mental state. The mention of 'few sounds' filling him with horror emphasizes auditory sensitivity. <br> - Touch: The description of the softness of Usher’s hair and the coldness of the room evokes a tactile sensation, enhancing the overall sense of discomfort. <br> - Smell: Usher’s aversion to strongly scented flowers suggests olfactory sensitivity, further amplifying his fragile condition. <br> - Taste: Usher’s preference for tasteless food points to his heightened sensitivity, linking to his overall decline. |
This analysis captures the essence of the narrative's tone, the imagery employed, and the sensory details that contribute to the mood and thematic depth of the story. Poe expertly employs these elements to evoke a chilling and unsettling atmosphere.
2 answers