Human Nature In The Fall Of The House Of Usher

Nineteenth-century gothic literature pioneer Edgar Allan Poe assembled “The Fall of the House of Usher” in 1839. The well-known American inventor of the phrase “short story” created a text about a physically and mentally ill family line that is on the brink of becoming extinct. Through the characters and their story with consideration of the cultural happenings of the mid-1800s, Poe investigates the strange habits and knowledge of human nature. Known as one of the first pieces of gothic horror literature, “The Fall of the House of Usher” explores Edgar Allan Poe’s perspective on human nature in many ways.

Poe uses synchronicity in this short story to share the effects of coincidences in human nature. The story is about siblings who both live

One of the conflicts is between the Narrator and Roderick, and how “Surely, man had never before so terribly altered, in so brief a period” (65). The narrator is uncomfortable with the appearance of his childhood friend being torn to ruins. Poe gets creative with the syntax in this quote, mixing around the words to emphasize how surprising, tragic and quickly his character became withered. Poe mentions this interaction because of how judgmental the human race can be. People treat others differently based on their situations, experiences, and looks. Australian Psychology Consultant, Dr. Stan Steindl (2020) says “conflict is simply a result of problems being tangled up with the dark side of human nature” (para. 1). People resent others or lash out at them when they fail to communicate, just like how Poe portrays Roderick and the Narrator's relationship and their failure to communicate since childhood. Another conflict is the one between Roderick and himself. Poe explains his “dread [of] the events of the future, not in themselves, but in their results” (67). Through Roderick, Poe discusses depression with a mysterious and somber tone. With how deeply personal this quote is, it is evident that Poe feels similar. The battle between one's mind versus the environment around is constant. Roderick felt within himself that his future would elude to nothing, similar to Poe’s feelings. According

One example of the loss of reality is in the correlation between fantasy and the real world. The Narrator reads a story to Roderick, and “With a feeling of wild amazement.., [he] did actually hear [the] most unusual screaming or grating sound” after reading about “a shriek so horrid and sharp” (Poe 78). There is a repetition of this scene, once more after reading a story about an obscure sound. The Narrator feels like he is going crazy because the line between fictional work and his reality is slowly deteriorating. Poe uses five-sense imagery in this quote to audibly describe the grisly sounds, not from this world. Poe mentions this happening in the story to open discussion about fiction turning to actuality. Poe has a deceased family and a substance abuse problem, which most people do not plan for their future. Death and trauma are not situations Poe hopes for like he would for a happy family and successful career. Another example of how Poe explains how society lost its value, in reality, is through Madeline's undiagnosed schizophrenia. She has been extremely unwell: talking, hearing voices, and physically affecting every person she comes into contact with, as Poe states: “A strange alteration had, during the last few minutes, taken place in his demeanor” (78). Poe uses five-sense imagery once again while painting a visual image of his character Roderick sinking into himself and