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The Fall Of The House Of Usher Diction Analysis

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“It was a dark and stormy night...” Surely you have heard the opening line of Edward Bulwer-Lytton’s novel Paul Clifford’s many times. This line is known for being overused in many stories, and has been parodied countless time. By using this line in the introduction of a story, the uninspired vocabulary and unoriginal concept will be bored as soon as they start the book. Edgar Allen Poe avoids this problem by using advanced, dark diction and strong imagery in the introduction of his book The Fall of the House of Usher to give the reader a clear idea of what the tone of the remainder of the story will be.
Diction is the word choice used in a work of literature. The diction that Edgar Allan Poe uses in The Fall of the House of Usher uses in this has a dark mood, that adds to to theme of the story by showing that the house is sinister and depressing, which is affirmed throughout the work. Since Poe uses such dark vocabulary, the reader can tell that this is going to be a gloomy (gothic) poem. For …show more content…

By describing the house and it’s surroundings in great detail, the reader can understand the poem more, and the emotions that are going through the narattor’s head. The poem is also made far more interesting by using strong images. However, the descriptions that Poe uses also leave some to the reader’s imagination, which makes the poem more engaging. For example, in the line “a dull, dark, and soundless day in the autumn of the year” (passage), we all have different experiences with autumn, which gives each reader a different view of the house and it’s backdrops. By using the words “dull” and “dark”, Poe also narrows the view down so the reader is not imagining a crisp sunny day in fall. By using this advanced variety of imagery, Poe sets the stage and mood for the remainder of the poem, as well as making it compelling and enjoyable to

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Poe, who is often known for using challenging and varying sentence structure, uses elements of syntax such as polysyndeton and parallel structure to create a dark and ominous mood. Poe uses syntax in the first paragraph when he starts several sentences with “But in the…” and then names a specific room. This is effective because he describes each room with different features, but each feature has an equally discomforting feeling accompanying it. He uses polysyndeton in the second paragraph when he described the sound the clock made; he wrote, “...there came from the brazen lungs of the clock a sound which was clear and loud and exceedingly musical.” The combination of the different qualities of the sound are important because not only does it mirror the complex reaction the characters have to it, but it illustrates the significance of the clock.

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Poets are not given the credits they deserve. When reading a poem one thinks about the meaning behind it but does not enjoy the beauty of it. People never truly focus on the beauty of the different words the poet uses and why they use them. In Edgar Allen Poe’s poem, “The Raven” he uses many sound devices to set the overall mood of the poem. The sound devices he uses are assonance, rhyme, and alliteration.

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The crack in the house and the dead trees imply that the house and its surroundings are not sturdy or promising. These elements indicate that a positive outcome is not expected. The thunder,strange light, and mist create a spooky feeling for the reader. In "The Fall of the house of Usher," Edgar Allan Poe creates suspense and fear in the reader. He also tries to convince the reader not to let fear overcome him.

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How does Poe use diction, imagery details, and figurative language to set a vivid setting in The Fall of the House of Usher? The first impressions given by the narrator give the story a bleak outlook for the ending of the story by the way Poe describes his surroundings and the house of Usher. As the narrator rides up to his old friend Usher’s house, he uses dark detailing on the surrounding area with darker words that help provide a sense of insecurity within the narrator as he wonders why he is so afraid of the house of Usher.

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Poe uses strong words such as “demons” to help readers understand how strong the love was between the man and Annabel Lee and to help them make a connection to it. Last but not least, the poem “The Raven” is also an example of word choice. In the poem, Poe writes “Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,” Poe uses word choice in this poem because he uses words such as “weak and weary” to emphasise the emotions he had and help the reader have a connection to his poem. Overall, Poe uses word choice in all of his poems to help readers make a connection to his writing. All in all, Edgar Allan poe uses imagery and word choice in all of his poems.

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“ The Fall of the House of Usher “ by Edgar Allan Poe is a short story about a man named Roderick Usher who initiates some events such as evoking his friend The Narrator as a protagonist to the dreadful mansion. The images such as the house and gothic ambience are used to reinforce the idea of giving the mystery to the reader. Edgar Allan Poe uses gothic elements to show how they affect the atmosphere and the characters. In the beginning , the gothic atmosphere of the house is indicated with terrifying images such as “ dull, dark and soundless ” that the feeling of horror vaccinated into reader by the thoughts of the narrator.

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The Role of Art in “The Fall of the House of Usher Art can be expressed within writing pieces, poems and short stories in various types of forms. Edgar Allen Poe uses music as a form of art to help the main character Roderick try to cope with his unstable state of mind. Roderick experiences moral dilemmas and music serves to distort his feelings unintentionally. Simiraily, the ancient greek philosopher Aristotle believed that for a balance of life one needs to encounter the bad experiences in order to feel better and move on to better times.

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