the fall of the house of usher

Question 1

Why does the narrator go to visit Usher?

Answer 1

The narrator has come to help Usher, a childhood friend, through an illness.

Question 2

Early in the story, what flaw in the front of the house does the narrator observe?

Answer 2

The narrator observes a long crack running down the front of the house.

Question 3

What forms of artistic expression does Usher share with the narrator?

Answer 3

Usher shares paintings he has created, including one that shows a deep, subterranean vault. He also plays music and improvises songs, one of
which—”The Haunted Palace”—the narrator reproduces entirely.

Question 4

What does the narrator learn about the relationship between Usher and Madeline after her death?

Answer 4

The narrator learns that Usher and Madeline were twins.

Question 5

What confession does Usher make to the narrator during the final storm?

Answer 5

Usher confesses that they must have put Madeline into the vault alive

Question 6

(a) Interpret Which descriptive details of the interior of the house suggest that the narrator has entered a realm that is very different from the ordinary
world?
(b) Make Inferences In what ways is the appearance of the interior of the house related to Usher’s appearance and the condition of his mind?

Answer 6

(a) “dark and intricate passages”; “phantasmagoric armorial trophies”; “feeble beams of encrimsoned light”; “an air of stern, deep, and irredeemable gloom.” (paragraph 6)
(b) Like Usher’s physical appearance, the house is in a state of decay; like his mind, the house is gloomy and full of sorrow.

Question 7

(a) Connect How do the works of art described in the story reflect the story’s events?
(b) Interpret What idea about the relationship between
art and life is supported by these elements of the story? Explain.

Answer 7

(a) Usher’s painting of a deep, subterranean vault reflects the donjon in which he and the narrator
place Madeline’s body. The music he plays reflects
the intensely gloomy atmosphere. The words to
“The Haunted Palace” reflect a vast home that is haunted by grim and evil beings. The events in Mad Trist, which the narrator reads aloud during the storm, echo the actions and tension of the story’s conclusion.
(b) Poe is suggesting that art can imitate or even influence life.

Question 8

(a) Analyze In what ways is the narrator affected by Usher’s condition?

Answer 8

The narrator is deeply bothered by Usher’s condition.