Study Questions for Poes "The Fall of the House of Usher"

Analytical:
1. Summarize Poe's theory of aesthetics as he expresses it in "The
Philosophy of Composition".
2. Discuss Poe's statement in "The Philosophy of Composition" that
"the !eath then of a "eautiful #oman is un$uestiona"ly the most
poetical topic in the #orl!% an! e$ually is it "eyon! !ou"t that the
lips "est suite! for such topic are those of a "erea&e! lo&er."
'. (xplain #hat Poe means "y his attempt to achie&e "unity of
effect" an! trace the particular #ays he mana)es this in "The *all
of the +ouse of ,sher".
-. .hat is the )enre of the story/
0. .hat 1othic con&entions !oes Poe use in this tale/ To #hat
effect/
2. +o# !oes Poe use the element of settin) to create an
atmosphere/
3. .hat are the recurrin) ima)es an! sym"ols in the story/
4. .hat is the +ouse of ,sher/ 5n #hat #ays is the +ouse of ,sher
a "palace of ima)ination"/ .hy !oes the entire house collapse at
the en! of the story/
6. *rom #ho7s point of &ie# is the story tol!/ +o# !oes this affect
the story/
18. +o# !oes Poe portray the motif of the !oppel)an)er or
character !ou"le/ .hat !oes he achie&e/
11. .hat is the nature of ,sher's relationship to 9a!eline/
12. .hat function !oes ,sher's son) "The +aunte! Palace" ser&e
in the story/
1'. 5n #hat #ays !oes ,sher resem"le Poe/ .hat !o these
similarities su))est/
1-. 5n #hat is Poe an "American" #riter/
Descripti&e:Specific:
1. .hat feelin)s !oes the narrator ha&e #hen he loo;s at the +ouse
of ,sher/ Can he explain #hat causes these feelin)s/
2. .hy has the narrator come to &isit this house/ .hat is his
relationship to its proprietor <o!eric; ,sher/
'. .hat is unusual a"out the history of the ,sher family/
-. .hat !oes the narrator notice a"out the air surroun!in) the
house/ Does he trust his o"ser&ation/ .hat !oes he notice a"out
the stones in the #alls/
0. .hat ;in! of illness !oes <o!eric; suffer from/ .hat are his
symptoms/
2. .hat ;in! of illness !oes his sister 9a!eline ,sher ha&e/ .hat
are her symptoms/
3. .hat are the $ualities of <o!eric;'s paintin)s/ .hat example
!oes the narrator !escri"e/ .hat !o you thin;
it means/
4. 5n <o!eric;'s son) "The +aunte! Palace" the narrator says he
first percei&e! <o!eric;'s a#areness of "the totterin) of his lofty
reason upon her throne." .hat !oes the narrator mean/ .hat is
the meanin) of this story an! #hat !oes it su))est a"out <o!eric;'s
mental state/
6. .hat opinion !oes <o!eric; express a"out the "sentience" of his
family mansion/ .hat is the e&i!ence of this sentience an! #hat is
its possi"le cause/
18. After 9a!eline's !eath #hy !oes <o!eric; !eci!e to ;eep her
"o!y temporarily in one of the #alls of the house/
11. .hat fact is re&eale! a"out the relationship "et#een 9a!eline
an! <o!eric; #hen the narrator an! <o!eric; place 9a!eline in this
temporary tom"/
12. .hat "eha&ior !oes <o!eric; exhi"it in the !ays follo#in) this
temporary "urial/ .hat effect !oes his
"eha&ior ha&e on the narrator/
1'. =n the stormy ni)ht a"out a #ee; later #hat !oes <o!eric; see
out the #in!o# that terrifies him/ +o# !oes the narrator explain
this phenomenon rationally/
1-. .hy !oes the narrator rea! a "oo; to <o!eric;/ .hat "oo;
!oes he choose an! #hy/ .hat ;in! of story !oes it tell/
10. .hat correspon!ences ta;e place "et#een the plot of the story
the narrator rea!s an! soun!s in ,sher's house/ .hat are the
causes of these soun!s/
12. 5f <o!eric; ;ne# that his sister #as ali&e in the tom" #hy
!i!n't he release her/
13. 5n #hat #ays !oes the conclusion of Poe's story relate to the
title "The *all of the +ouse of ,sher"/ .hat is the li)ht that the
narrator sees shinin) thou)h the crac; in the mansion/ +o# !oes
this crac; recall the !escription of the mansion at the "e)innin) of
the story/