There is a big debate on whether Edgar Allan Poe was insane or whether his works were pieces of art. In my opinion, Poe was an amazing author and the reason people don't understand his literature is because they don't make an effort to read it. Yes, his stories have a more advanced vocabulary. Yes, some of his stories are sadistic, gruesome tales. However, I find that this does not make him insane per say, but an even better author.
Because of his terrible experiences as a child, Poe was filled with a lot of sorrow and depression at a young age. He had to suffer the difficulties of having a single mother raise him. Then his mother died and that loss hit him really hard because he was young and didn't have many other people he could really depend on. Next he was separated from his siblings and taken in by people he didn't even know. His adoptive father went on to abusing him and he didn't have very many friends. From his childhood, Poe was an outcast, never properly fitting in anywhere because of his state of mind. In all reality, if anyone had to go through what he went through, they couldn't possibly turn out to be completely normal.
I do not think he was insane, I just think he was able to express his depressing, melancholic feelings through his writing. When one can look beyond what is just written on the paper, when one can infer what the author is trying to really get across, one learns many things. Poe hides many morals and lessons in a lot of his stories and poems. The stories that aren't directly illustrating these things are just showing the reader a little bit more about Poe and his personality and feelings.
The works that Poe opened up in the most are probably his last stories and poems written. Here there is a lot of emotional sadness because of the loss of Poe's wife. It is easy, in these works, to get really attached to the main character and to feel what he is feeling. These works demonstrate the feelings of the narrator but also of the author. One is directly linked to Poe's thought process and his reaction to many situations.
I feel Poe is ingenious when it comes to his writing. He uses imagery, literary devices, symbolism and hidden meanings in such a way that once the readers infer and read between the lines, the story becomes so much more than just a story. It becomes an experience that we can link to our own lives. I encourage anyone who has not read any of Poe's works to start because you are honestly missing out on a lot!
Edgar Allan Poe
Saturday 9 November 2013
The Raven
The last poem I will interpret is The Raven. This is another extremely popular poem written by Poe and is another one of my favourites. Here is the link to the story as well as a vocal version: The Raven The Raven- spoken
The Tell-Tale Heart
This last story, I will be analysing the use of literary elements present. To summarize, it is about a crazy guy who kills the old man he lives with because of the old man's eye. Judging by the description, the old man has cataracts but his eye scares the madman into killing him. Eventually the guilt on his concious for having committed murder drives him insane and he admits his crime to police. Here is the story: The Tell-Tale Hear,
The first example of literary element in this story is the hyperbole. "I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth. I heard many things in hell." This is an exaggeration because although this man may have an acute sense of hearing it is not possible that he can hear things in heaven and in hell.
Next literary device is the metaphor. "And then, when my head was well in the room, I undid the lantern cautiously- oh, so cautiously- cautiously (for the hinges creaked)- I undid it just so much that a single ray fell upon the vulture eye." In this quote, Poe is comparing the eye of the old man to a vulture eye without using the words like or as. "A watch's minute hand moves more quickly than did mine." This is an example of a metaphor as well because it is a comparison between the speed of a watch's minute hand and of the madman's hand. Similarly when Poe says, "Meantime the hellish tattoo of the heart increased." he is comparing the beating of the heart to a terrible drumming sound.
Another common literary element is the simile. These are easier to spot out because it is a comparison between two things, using the words like or as. "His room was as black as pitch with the thick darkness..." Here Poe describes the room being pitch black. "And now have I not told you what you mistake for madness is but over-acuteness of the senses?- now, I say, there came to my ears a low, dull, quick sound, such as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I knew that sound well too. It was the beating of the old man's heart. It increased my fury, as the beating of a drum stimulates the soldier into courage." Here Poe uses two similes. First off, he describes the beating of the man's heart to a watch enveloped in cotton. Next he compares his fury, due to the old man's heart, and the courage of a soldier, due to the beating of a drum.
An interesting use of irony in this story is when the madman says, "..(for the shutters were close fastened, through fear of robbers,)..." This is ironic because the old man is locking the windows to protect himself from what is outside the house but really, it's what's inside the house that he needs protecting from.
Finally, Poe's best use of literary device in this story is the personification. "All in vain; because Death, in approaching him, had stalked with his black shadow before him, and enveloped the victim." In this quote, death is given human qualities and is said to have stalked its victim, and enveloped him. Poe is clearly an expert at using literary devices, which enhances the quality of his poems and stories.
Ideas used from grade seven English class oral discussion
The first example of literary element in this story is the hyperbole. "I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth. I heard many things in hell." This is an exaggeration because although this man may have an acute sense of hearing it is not possible that he can hear things in heaven and in hell.
Next literary device is the metaphor. "And then, when my head was well in the room, I undid the lantern cautiously- oh, so cautiously- cautiously (for the hinges creaked)- I undid it just so much that a single ray fell upon the vulture eye." In this quote, Poe is comparing the eye of the old man to a vulture eye without using the words like or as. "A watch's minute hand moves more quickly than did mine." This is an example of a metaphor as well because it is a comparison between the speed of a watch's minute hand and of the madman's hand. Similarly when Poe says, "Meantime the hellish tattoo of the heart increased." he is comparing the beating of the heart to a terrible drumming sound.
Another common literary element is the simile. These are easier to spot out because it is a comparison between two things, using the words like or as. "His room was as black as pitch with the thick darkness..." Here Poe describes the room being pitch black. "And now have I not told you what you mistake for madness is but over-acuteness of the senses?- now, I say, there came to my ears a low, dull, quick sound, such as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I knew that sound well too. It was the beating of the old man's heart. It increased my fury, as the beating of a drum stimulates the soldier into courage." Here Poe uses two similes. First off, he describes the beating of the man's heart to a watch enveloped in cotton. Next he compares his fury, due to the old man's heart, and the courage of a soldier, due to the beating of a drum.
An interesting use of irony in this story is when the madman says, "..(for the shutters were close fastened, through fear of robbers,)..." This is ironic because the old man is locking the windows to protect himself from what is outside the house but really, it's what's inside the house that he needs protecting from.
Finally, Poe's best use of literary device in this story is the personification. "All in vain; because Death, in approaching him, had stalked with his black shadow before him, and enveloped the victim." In this quote, death is given human qualities and is said to have stalked its victim, and enveloped him. Poe is clearly an expert at using literary devices, which enhances the quality of his poems and stories.
Ideas used from grade seven English class oral discussion
Friday 8 November 2013
A Dream Within a Dream
This is probably one of my favourite poems written by Edgar Allan Poe because of the amount of emotion he puts into it. To help others understand its meaning, I will be analysing it. Here is a link: A Dream Within a Dream
"Take this kiss upon the brow! And, in parting from you now, thus much let me avow- you are not wrong, who deem that my days have been a dream;" This poem was written after Poe's wife died, meaning one can assume it is dedicated to her. He parts from her, giving her one last kiss goodbye. Claiming next, that everyone could see that he was in love with her and she made him happy. He could not have asked for anything more than her, and it was like a dream come true.
"Yet if hope has flown away in a night, or in a day, in a vision, or in none, is it therefore the less gone? All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream." This next part of the poem illustrates the hopelessness in the situation. Hope is not something there permanently and can disappear in a night, a day, a vision, at any moment of our lives. He is questioning how he can depend on something as unreliable as hope itself. The famous concluding line of this stanza is, "all that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream", meaning that our life, everything that happens to us day by day, is about as predictable and logical as a dream.
"I stand amid the roar of a surf-tormented shore, and I hold within my hand grains of golden sand- how few! yet how they creep through my fingers into the deep, while I weep- while I weep!" When Poe talks about the surf tormented shore here, he could be comparing it to his feelings. The roaring, raging, crazy waves could be compared to the emotional instability he is going through with the pain, the sorrow, the anger and the confusion due to his loss. Next he talks about grains of sand that he holds in his hands, which are slipping through his fingers. In my opinion, this stands for the time slipping away from him. Although he wants to live life and keep moving forward he is so overwhelmed with sorrow that he is unable to function. He tries slowing down time so he can cope with his loss, but nobody has that kind of power and like the grains of sand, time is just keeps creeping through his fingers, one grain at a time.
"O God! can I not grasp them with a tighter clasp? O God! can I not save one from the pitiless wave? Is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream?" In the last part of this paragraph, Poe is begging God for his help. He implores him to slow down time, so he can overcome his emotions and keep living life to its fullest. He then questions again whether everything that happens to us in life is as irrelevant as a dream. This is an extremely popular poem by Poe because it addresses a topic that many people still question today. What is the point of our existence?
Ideas used from grade ten English class oral discussion
"Take this kiss upon the brow! And, in parting from you now, thus much let me avow- you are not wrong, who deem that my days have been a dream;" This poem was written after Poe's wife died, meaning one can assume it is dedicated to her. He parts from her, giving her one last kiss goodbye. Claiming next, that everyone could see that he was in love with her and she made him happy. He could not have asked for anything more than her, and it was like a dream come true.
"Yet if hope has flown away in a night, or in a day, in a vision, or in none, is it therefore the less gone? All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream." This next part of the poem illustrates the hopelessness in the situation. Hope is not something there permanently and can disappear in a night, a day, a vision, at any moment of our lives. He is questioning how he can depend on something as unreliable as hope itself. The famous concluding line of this stanza is, "all that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream", meaning that our life, everything that happens to us day by day, is about as predictable and logical as a dream.
"I stand amid the roar of a surf-tormented shore, and I hold within my hand grains of golden sand- how few! yet how they creep through my fingers into the deep, while I weep- while I weep!" When Poe talks about the surf tormented shore here, he could be comparing it to his feelings. The roaring, raging, crazy waves could be compared to the emotional instability he is going through with the pain, the sorrow, the anger and the confusion due to his loss. Next he talks about grains of sand that he holds in his hands, which are slipping through his fingers. In my opinion, this stands for the time slipping away from him. Although he wants to live life and keep moving forward he is so overwhelmed with sorrow that he is unable to function. He tries slowing down time so he can cope with his loss, but nobody has that kind of power and like the grains of sand, time is just keeps creeping through his fingers, one grain at a time.
"O God! can I not grasp them with a tighter clasp? O God! can I not save one from the pitiless wave? Is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream?" In the last part of this paragraph, Poe is begging God for his help. He implores him to slow down time, so he can overcome his emotions and keep living life to its fullest. He then questions again whether everything that happens to us in life is as irrelevant as a dream. This is an extremely popular poem by Poe because it addresses a topic that many people still question today. What is the point of our existence?
Ideas used from grade ten English class oral discussion
The Pit and the Pendulum
Out of all Poe's stories this one is probably my favourite. Not only is it easier to understand, but it is extremely descriptive; allowing the reader to step into the shoes of the main character and experience what he is going through. I will be summarizing this short story then giving a few examples of the author's use of literary imagery. Here is a copy: The Pit and the Pendulum
In times long ago, when the Roman Catholic Church was in power, there weren't kings, queens, presidents or prime ministers making and enforcing rules. Instead, those in charge were the inquisition. They were not very compassionate, sympathetic people and tortured their victims in the most gruesome ways. The Pit and the Pendulum describes the experience of a prisoner of the Inquisition.
He is first tortured with the loss of his sight, when plunged into darkness, and almost falls into an abyss of death. Next, he is tied up as a bladed pendulum descends toward him, slowly guaranteeing his death. As he escapes this, the steel walls of his cell are heated to a scorching temperature and start closing in on him, thus forcing him toward the chasm. Right before he falls to his death, the Inquisition is defeated and a member of the French army saves his life.
Throughout this whole incident, the reader is subjected to the victims roller coaster of emotions. One second he is hopeful, another scared, another hopeless and another completely blank. This is done so effectively by Poe because he is able to utilize literary imagery so perfectly. From childhood, one is taught the basic five senses; visual (see), auditory (hear), olfactory (smell), gustatory (taste), and tactile (touch).
There are many examples of these senses throughout The Pit and the Pendulum. For example,at the beginning of the story, the author begins with a description of what he sees. "I saw the lips of the black-robed judges. They appeared to me white- whiter than the sheet upon which I trace these words- and thin even to grotesqueness; thin with the intensity of their expression of firmness- of immovable resolution- of stern contempt of human torture. I saw that the decrees of what to me was Fate were still issuing from those lips. I saw them writhe with deadly locution. I saw them fashion the syllables of my name; and I shuddered because no sound succeeded." In this paragraph, the description of the Inquisition members is so clearly stated that one can't help but to imagine them; their thin, disgusting lips, mouthing not the narrators name, but our very own. He creates a horrific scene where one can imagine themselves, waiting for those terrible, black-robed figures to sentence us to death.
Poe uses the tactile sense to describe what the victim is feeling in his cell. "At first, I proceeded with extreme caution, for the floor, although seemingly of solid material, was treacherous with slime." At the mention of slime, one may automatically think of rocks on the edge of a river bank, barely covered with running water; which produces a slimy, slippery surface. One may imagine that the floor he is walking on is slimy and slippery from the blood of previous victims who've been tortured in the same cell. This description of the tactile sense lets the reader use their imagination to figure out why the cell is slimy.
Another sense used in this story is olfactory. "At the same time, my forehead seemed bathed in a clammy vapour, and the peculiar smell of decayed fungus arose to my nostrils." This is probably the most effective use of literary imagery in this story because although Poe does not say what this odour is caused by, the audience can infer. At the bottom of the abyss there could be a pile of rotting corpses, a monster, a sewer pit filled with rats, a pile of garbage, the severed body parts of previous captives. The possibilities are endless, however there is enough description to allow one to use their imagination.
The auditory sense is used shortly after when the narrator drops a severed brick from the floor into the abyss. "For many seconds I hearkened its reverberations as it dashed against the sides of the chasm in its descent; at length, there was a sullen plunge into water, succeeded by loud echoes." This gives a little more insight on what may be lurking at the bottom of this mysterious pit but doesn't altogether give anything away. Sure there may be water, however what is in the water? How far down is the fall? How big around, in diameter, is the hole? Many unanswered question are left up to the reader to answer.
The only sense not used a lot in this story is the gustatory sense. The main character simply states that "A burning thirst consumed [him]...". This allows those reading this story to feel the unquenchable thirst of the narrator. In all of Edgar Allan Poe's stories and poems there is a significant amount of literary imagery. This story in particular is one of my favourites not only because of that, but because of its hopeful ending unlike many of Poe's other works.
Ideas used from grade seven English class oral discussion
In times long ago, when the Roman Catholic Church was in power, there weren't kings, queens, presidents or prime ministers making and enforcing rules. Instead, those in charge were the inquisition. They were not very compassionate, sympathetic people and tortured their victims in the most gruesome ways. The Pit and the Pendulum describes the experience of a prisoner of the Inquisition.
He is first tortured with the loss of his sight, when plunged into darkness, and almost falls into an abyss of death. Next, he is tied up as a bladed pendulum descends toward him, slowly guaranteeing his death. As he escapes this, the steel walls of his cell are heated to a scorching temperature and start closing in on him, thus forcing him toward the chasm. Right before he falls to his death, the Inquisition is defeated and a member of the French army saves his life.
Throughout this whole incident, the reader is subjected to the victims roller coaster of emotions. One second he is hopeful, another scared, another hopeless and another completely blank. This is done so effectively by Poe because he is able to utilize literary imagery so perfectly. From childhood, one is taught the basic five senses; visual (see), auditory (hear), olfactory (smell), gustatory (taste), and tactile (touch).
There are many examples of these senses throughout The Pit and the Pendulum. For example,at the beginning of the story, the author begins with a description of what he sees. "I saw the lips of the black-robed judges. They appeared to me white- whiter than the sheet upon which I trace these words- and thin even to grotesqueness; thin with the intensity of their expression of firmness- of immovable resolution- of stern contempt of human torture. I saw that the decrees of what to me was Fate were still issuing from those lips. I saw them writhe with deadly locution. I saw them fashion the syllables of my name; and I shuddered because no sound succeeded." In this paragraph, the description of the Inquisition members is so clearly stated that one can't help but to imagine them; their thin, disgusting lips, mouthing not the narrators name, but our very own. He creates a horrific scene where one can imagine themselves, waiting for those terrible, black-robed figures to sentence us to death.
Poe uses the tactile sense to describe what the victim is feeling in his cell. "At first, I proceeded with extreme caution, for the floor, although seemingly of solid material, was treacherous with slime." At the mention of slime, one may automatically think of rocks on the edge of a river bank, barely covered with running water; which produces a slimy, slippery surface. One may imagine that the floor he is walking on is slimy and slippery from the blood of previous victims who've been tortured in the same cell. This description of the tactile sense lets the reader use their imagination to figure out why the cell is slimy.
Another sense used in this story is olfactory. "At the same time, my forehead seemed bathed in a clammy vapour, and the peculiar smell of decayed fungus arose to my nostrils." This is probably the most effective use of literary imagery in this story because although Poe does not say what this odour is caused by, the audience can infer. At the bottom of the abyss there could be a pile of rotting corpses, a monster, a sewer pit filled with rats, a pile of garbage, the severed body parts of previous captives. The possibilities are endless, however there is enough description to allow one to use their imagination.
The auditory sense is used shortly after when the narrator drops a severed brick from the floor into the abyss. "For many seconds I hearkened its reverberations as it dashed against the sides of the chasm in its descent; at length, there was a sullen plunge into water, succeeded by loud echoes." This gives a little more insight on what may be lurking at the bottom of this mysterious pit but doesn't altogether give anything away. Sure there may be water, however what is in the water? How far down is the fall? How big around, in diameter, is the hole? Many unanswered question are left up to the reader to answer.
The only sense not used a lot in this story is the gustatory sense. The main character simply states that "A burning thirst consumed [him]...". This allows those reading this story to feel the unquenchable thirst of the narrator. In all of Edgar Allan Poe's stories and poems there is a significant amount of literary imagery. This story in particular is one of my favourites not only because of that, but because of its hopeful ending unlike many of Poe's other works.
Ideas used from grade seven English class oral discussion
Sunday 27 October 2013
The Haunted Palace
For my blog this week, I will be analysing another poem written by Poe that was already seen in his short story The Fall of the House of Usher. Here is a copy of the poem: The Haunted Palace
"In the greenest of our valleys by good angels tenanted, once a fair and stately palace-radiant palace-reared its head. In the monarch Thought's dominion-it stood there! Never seraph spread a pinion over fabric half so fair!" Here Poe could be describing the mind of Roderick Usher. It was once a "green", "fair", "stately", happy place filled with "radiant", positive thoughts. God and "good angels" took care of his mind and kept him sane. Usher was confident in his goodness and stood proud.
"Banners yellow, glorious, golden on its roof did float and flow, (this-all this- was in the olden time long ago,) And every gentle air that dallied, in that sweet day, along the ramparts plumed and pallid, a winged odor went away." The banners decorating the roof of the mansion could be considered Roderick Ushers hair when he was younger. It was blonde and beautiful and flowed from his head. Poe describes how his fair hair, that fanned out like feathers, was so light and warm that it kept "winged odors" away.
"Wanderers in that happy valley, through two luminous windows saw spirits moving musically, to a lute's well-tuned law, round about a throne where, sitting (Porphyrogene!) in state his glory well befitting, the ruler of the realm was seen." In this verse, Poe explains how others saw Usher through his eyes (being the windows). Anyone who talked with Usher saw with their own eyes how hopeful and happy the spirits were that moved about in his head. He had positive, nice thoughts that practically sang of their goodness to others.
"And all the pearl and ruby glowing was the fair palace-door, through which came flowing, flowing, flowing, and sparkling evermore, a troop of Echoes, whose sweet duty was but to sing, in voices of surpassing beauty, the wit and wisdom of their king." Here, Poe is representing the mouth of Roderick Usher. With his pearly white teeth and his ruby red lips, it was the door to his thoughts. Feelings and "Echoes" came "flowing" through and it was their job to express the mind of the their king, this being Usher.
"But evil things, in robes of sorrow, assailed the monarch's high estate.) Ah, let us mourn!-for never morrow shall dawn upon him desolate!) And round about his home, the glory that blushed and bloomed is but a dim-remembered story of the old time entombed." Here one can see the illness taking over the mind of Roderick. It is an "evil thing" attacking the kings mind (monarch's high estate). Everyone around Usher is affected by this illness because he will never be himself again. He will never be anything more than depressed and "desolate". The past is now only a memory, a "story", a happiness that will never return.
"And travellers now, within that valley, through red-litten windows see vast forms, that move fantastically to a discordant melody, while, like a ghastly rapid river, through the pale door, a hideous throng rush out forever and laugh-but smile no more." Finally, Poe explains how others view Usher now. They see, through his bloodshot eyes the terrors that are overtaking his mind. They can see the madness, the "vast forms", the demons haunting him day and night. Through the pale door being his old, ugly mouth, there is no longer the wonderful thoughts of the king but an evil laugh. The king, overcome with his illness, smiles no longer, sings no more, but just laughs like a madman. In this poem, one can see the comparison of a person in his natural state of mind and then the progression into the madness of a disease of the mind.
Ideas used from grade seven English class oral discussion
"In the greenest of our valleys by good angels tenanted, once a fair and stately palace-radiant palace-reared its head. In the monarch Thought's dominion-it stood there! Never seraph spread a pinion over fabric half so fair!" Here Poe could be describing the mind of Roderick Usher. It was once a "green", "fair", "stately", happy place filled with "radiant", positive thoughts. God and "good angels" took care of his mind and kept him sane. Usher was confident in his goodness and stood proud.
"Banners yellow, glorious, golden on its roof did float and flow, (this-all this- was in the olden time long ago,) And every gentle air that dallied, in that sweet day, along the ramparts plumed and pallid, a winged odor went away." The banners decorating the roof of the mansion could be considered Roderick Ushers hair when he was younger. It was blonde and beautiful and flowed from his head. Poe describes how his fair hair, that fanned out like feathers, was so light and warm that it kept "winged odors" away.
"Wanderers in that happy valley, through two luminous windows saw spirits moving musically, to a lute's well-tuned law, round about a throne where, sitting (Porphyrogene!) in state his glory well befitting, the ruler of the realm was seen." In this verse, Poe explains how others saw Usher through his eyes (being the windows). Anyone who talked with Usher saw with their own eyes how hopeful and happy the spirits were that moved about in his head. He had positive, nice thoughts that practically sang of their goodness to others.
"And all the pearl and ruby glowing was the fair palace-door, through which came flowing, flowing, flowing, and sparkling evermore, a troop of Echoes, whose sweet duty was but to sing, in voices of surpassing beauty, the wit and wisdom of their king." Here, Poe is representing the mouth of Roderick Usher. With his pearly white teeth and his ruby red lips, it was the door to his thoughts. Feelings and "Echoes" came "flowing" through and it was their job to express the mind of the their king, this being Usher.
"But evil things, in robes of sorrow, assailed the monarch's high estate.) Ah, let us mourn!-for never morrow shall dawn upon him desolate!) And round about his home, the glory that blushed and bloomed is but a dim-remembered story of the old time entombed." Here one can see the illness taking over the mind of Roderick. It is an "evil thing" attacking the kings mind (monarch's high estate). Everyone around Usher is affected by this illness because he will never be himself again. He will never be anything more than depressed and "desolate". The past is now only a memory, a "story", a happiness that will never return.
"And travellers now, within that valley, through red-litten windows see vast forms, that move fantastically to a discordant melody, while, like a ghastly rapid river, through the pale door, a hideous throng rush out forever and laugh-but smile no more." Finally, Poe explains how others view Usher now. They see, through his bloodshot eyes the terrors that are overtaking his mind. They can see the madness, the "vast forms", the demons haunting him day and night. Through the pale door being his old, ugly mouth, there is no longer the wonderful thoughts of the king but an evil laugh. The king, overcome with his illness, smiles no longer, sings no more, but just laughs like a madman. In this poem, one can see the comparison of a person in his natural state of mind and then the progression into the madness of a disease of the mind.
Ideas used from grade seven English class oral discussion
Monday 21 October 2013
The Fall of the House of Usher
This week for the Edgar Allan Poe blog, I will be summarizing one of his famous stories and giving details about his amazing use of symbolism. This story is called "The Fall Of The House of Usher" and here is a link to view it The Fall of the House of Usher.
Basically this story starts off with an old acquaintance of Roderick Usher being asked over to spend time with him to catch up. Usher is suffering from a disease which heightens his senses, meaning he is only able to wear certain clothes, listen to certain instruments (stringed) and he cannot stand strong smells or the faintest of light. Once the friend arrives at the House of Usher, he is immediately put off by something odd, and takes particular notice in a fissure running from the top of the house all the way to its base. Regardless, he continues forward to see his old friend. Usher explains to his friend about a different disease that is affecting his twin sister and mentions that she his last living relative.
The Usher family is a pure family thus meaning they are incest. While the friend is staying with Roderick, Lady Madeline (Roderick's sister) gets even more sick and is no longer allowed to leave her bed. Usher and his guest continue on to play music, to read and to paint together. These are Roderick's only pass times seeing as he hasn't left his house in years.
Eventually Lady Madeline dies and her brother delays the burial one night because of the unknown circumstances of her death. She is buried, in a screwed coffin, in a vault under the guest bedroom which is sealed by an iron door. It used to be a dungeon and a gun powder room due to its limited accessibility. As soon as Lady Madeline is buried, Roderick's condition worsens and he turns into a madman always staring into nothingness.
One night, on the midst of a storm, Roderick's friend starts hearing noises. He blames it on the storm at first but can't get back to sleep because of an uneasy feeling. Roderick then comes into his room and throws open the window yelling at the storm. To calm him down, his friend shuts the window and starts reading a book to him. Whenever a sound is described in the book it is as if that sound is produced mysteriously in real life. Finally, the guest can no longer pretend he isn't hearing things and jumps up in fright. Roderick starts ranting like a crazy person about how he's been hearing her faint struggles for days now, but he didn't dare open his mouth. He proceeds to admit that they buried Lady Madeline alive and that she has finally escaped. As he says this Lady Madeline, bloody and ghastly looking, stumbles through the door and scares Roderick Usher to death. She then dies from her struggles. As his friend flees in fright he sees the fissure in the Usher house start to part and the house collapses and sinks into the tarn lake, and is forgotten about forever.
For me, the biggest example of symbolism in this story would be the
fissure in the wall. "Perhaps the eye of a scrutinizing observer might have discovered a barely perceptible fissure, which, extending from the roof of the building in front, made its way down the wall in a zigzag direction, until it became lost in the sullen waters of the tarn." This mention of the crack in the wall of the House of Usher could have been foreshadowing that some sort of event would cause the crack to split in half. In my opinion, the the two sides of the crack represented the two twin siblings, Roderick and his sister. Each was linked to the other on deep levels even including insanity, considering the fact that Roderick "heard" his sister long before she escaped her coffin. They were the last living descendants of the Usher family and they were depended on to keep the family going however, this did not happen. The Usher family fell apart at their generation just as the house split apart when they both died. They were holding each other together and one could not go without the other. That fissure in the wall is symbolism of not only a house falling apart but a whole family line falling apart. Poe demonstrates this use of symbolism in this story as well as many others like The Black Cat, The Tell-Tale Heart and The Raven.
Ideas used from grade seven English class oral discussion
Basically this story starts off with an old acquaintance of Roderick Usher being asked over to spend time with him to catch up. Usher is suffering from a disease which heightens his senses, meaning he is only able to wear certain clothes, listen to certain instruments (stringed) and he cannot stand strong smells or the faintest of light. Once the friend arrives at the House of Usher, he is immediately put off by something odd, and takes particular notice in a fissure running from the top of the house all the way to its base. Regardless, he continues forward to see his old friend. Usher explains to his friend about a different disease that is affecting his twin sister and mentions that she his last living relative.
The Usher family is a pure family thus meaning they are incest. While the friend is staying with Roderick, Lady Madeline (Roderick's sister) gets even more sick and is no longer allowed to leave her bed. Usher and his guest continue on to play music, to read and to paint together. These are Roderick's only pass times seeing as he hasn't left his house in years.
Eventually Lady Madeline dies and her brother delays the burial one night because of the unknown circumstances of her death. She is buried, in a screwed coffin, in a vault under the guest bedroom which is sealed by an iron door. It used to be a dungeon and a gun powder room due to its limited accessibility. As soon as Lady Madeline is buried, Roderick's condition worsens and he turns into a madman always staring into nothingness.
One night, on the midst of a storm, Roderick's friend starts hearing noises. He blames it on the storm at first but can't get back to sleep because of an uneasy feeling. Roderick then comes into his room and throws open the window yelling at the storm. To calm him down, his friend shuts the window and starts reading a book to him. Whenever a sound is described in the book it is as if that sound is produced mysteriously in real life. Finally, the guest can no longer pretend he isn't hearing things and jumps up in fright. Roderick starts ranting like a crazy person about how he's been hearing her faint struggles for days now, but he didn't dare open his mouth. He proceeds to admit that they buried Lady Madeline alive and that she has finally escaped. As he says this Lady Madeline, bloody and ghastly looking, stumbles through the door and scares Roderick Usher to death. She then dies from her struggles. As his friend flees in fright he sees the fissure in the Usher house start to part and the house collapses and sinks into the tarn lake, and is forgotten about forever.
For me, the biggest example of symbolism in this story would be the
fissure in the wall. "Perhaps the eye of a scrutinizing observer might have discovered a barely perceptible fissure, which, extending from the roof of the building in front, made its way down the wall in a zigzag direction, until it became lost in the sullen waters of the tarn." This mention of the crack in the wall of the House of Usher could have been foreshadowing that some sort of event would cause the crack to split in half. In my opinion, the the two sides of the crack represented the two twin siblings, Roderick and his sister. Each was linked to the other on deep levels even including insanity, considering the fact that Roderick "heard" his sister long before she escaped her coffin. They were the last living descendants of the Usher family and they were depended on to keep the family going however, this did not happen. The Usher family fell apart at their generation just as the house split apart when they both died. They were holding each other together and one could not go without the other. That fissure in the wall is symbolism of not only a house falling apart but a whole family line falling apart. Poe demonstrates this use of symbolism in this story as well as many others like The Black Cat, The Tell-Tale Heart and The Raven.
Ideas used from grade seven English class oral discussion
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