THE FALL OF THE HOUSE

OF USHER
A Short Story
By: Edgar Allan Poe
 1. CHARACTERS OF THE STORY
• Narrator - a friend of the master of the House of Usher. When he visits his friend, he
witnesses terrifying events.
• Roderick Usher - the master of the house, He suffers from a depressing malaise
characterized by strange behavior.

• Madeline Usher - twin sister of Roderick. She also suffers from strange illness. After
apparently dying , she rises from her coffin.
• Servant - domestic in the Usher household. He attends to the narrators horse.
• Valet - domestic in the Usher household who conducts the narrator to Roderick Usher’s
room.
• Physician - one of several doctors who treat Madeline Usher.
 2. SETTING OF THE STORY
• "The Fall of the House of Usher" plays an integral role in the story as it creates an
environment of dreariness, melancholy, and decay. The story takes place in the mansion of
the Usher family, which is isolated and situated in a "uniquely dreary tract of country." In the
narrator, the house instantly stirs up "a sense of insufferable gloom,“ "The interior of the
house is equally dreary, with "vaulted and fretted" ceilings, "black draperies hanging on the
walls," and furniture that is "comfortless, antique, and tattered." Roderick is also disturbed
by the setting, and it is described as having "bleak walls," "vacant eye-like windows," and
"minute fungi overspread [on] the entire exterior. The impression that the house is one of the
causes of his nervous restlessness. "The narrator notes that Roderick "was enchained by
some superstitious memories of the dwelling he owned, and from where he had never gone
forth for many years
PLOT OF THE STORY
 WRITING THE PLOT
INTRODUCTION
• The narrator arrived in the house

RISING ACTION
• Roderick greets narrator and explain his condition
• The narrators tries to cheer Roderick up with companionship
• Madeline dies and the men carry her to the vault
• Roderick changes becoming pale and old
• Roderick becomes hysterical during a storm
• The narrator reads to calm him; they hear strange sounds
• Roderick claims that Madeline has returned from the death
CLIMAX
• Madeline appear at the door, covered in blood.

FALLING ACTION
• Madeline embraces Roderick, both fall to the ground death
• The narrator runs from the house.

RESOLUTION
• The House of Usher collapse and falls in to the lake.
 THEME OF THE STORY

• The main themes in "The Fall of the House of Usher" are madness, the supernatural,
and artistic purpose. Madness: The Usher family has a long history of incest and, as
a result, many contemporary Ushers, including Roderick, suffer from insanity.
• Horror story
MESSAGE OF THE STORY
STAND IN FAITH
By: Evangelist Johnnye V. Chandle
Stand in faith
Even when you can’t see your way
Stand in faith
Even when you feel like you can’t face another day

Stand in faith
Even when the tears want to flow from your eyes
Stand in faith
Knowing that our God will always provide

Stand in faith
Even when you feel that all hope is gone
Stand in faith
Knowing that He is always there for you to lean on

Stand in faith
Even when you feel like giving up
Stand in faith
Because He is there ... saying, "Just look up“!
Stand in faith
Even in those times you feel so all alone
Stand in faith
Hold on and be strong, for He is still on the throne

Stand in faith
Even when it’s hard to believe
Stand in faith
Knowing that He can change your situation, suddenly

Stand in faith
Even in those times you feel it’s hard to pray
Stand in faith
And believe that He has already made the way

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen
So stand in faith
Because you already have the victory!
 PARAPHRASING
• Stand in faith
Even when you can’t see your way
Stand in faith
Even when you feel like you can’t face another day

Strengthen your belief

And if you're not able to see your way,
Strengthen your belief
Even if you feel like you're not confident to confront another day,
 PARAPHRASING

Stand in faith
Even when the tears want to flow from your eyes
Stand in faith
Knowing that our God will always provide

Strengthen your belief

Even when you want tears to flow out of your eyes,
Strengthen your belief
Understanding that our God is always going to provide
 PARAPHRASING
• Stand in faith
Even when you feel that all hope is gone
Stand in faith
Knowing that He is always there for you to lean on
 PARAPHRASING
• Stand in faith
Even when you feel like giving up
Stand in faith
Because He is there ... saying, "Just look up“!
 PARAPHRASING
• Stand in faith
Even in those times you feel so all alone
Stand in faith
Hold on and be strong, for He is still on the throne
 PARAPHRASING
• Stand in faith
Even when it’s hard to believe
Stand in faith
Knowing that He can change your situation, suddenly
 PARAPHRASING
Stand in faith
Even in those times you feel it’s hard to pray
Stand in faith
And believe that He has already made the way
 PARAPHRASING
• Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen
So stand in faith
Because you already have the victory!
TONE OR MODE OF THE POEM
MESSAGE OF THE POEM