The Fall of the The Fall of the House of UsherHouse of Usher

The House of Usher is a run-down, The House of Usher is a run-down, gloomy, scary place.gloomy, scary place.

The speaker has come to the House of The speaker has come to the House of Usher to stay with his friend Roderick, Usher to stay with his friend Roderick, who has come down with a who has come down with a physical/mental illness. Roderick wrote physical/mental illness. Roderick wrote him a letter and asked him to come stay.him a letter and asked him to come stay.

Roderick Usher has the paleness of a corpse, Roderick Usher has the paleness of a corpse, his eyes are watery, his lips are thin and pale. his eyes are watery, his lips are thin and pale. He looks really sick.He looks really sick.

Roderick Usher called his illness a “family evil.”Roderick Usher called his illness a “family evil.” He could not stand light. He could only eat He could not stand light. He could only eat

bland food. He could only wear clothes of a bland food. He could only wear clothes of a certain texture. There could be no flowers. It certain texture. There could be no flowers. It was a “morbid acuteness of the senses.”was a “morbid acuteness of the senses.”

Roderick’s sister, Madeline, is also ill, Roderick’s sister, Madeline, is also ill, though more so than Roderick. They are though more so than Roderick. They are the last of the Usher family.the last of the Usher family.

Roderick is acting more ill—and more Roderick is acting more ill—and more crazy.crazy.

Madeline dies and Roderick has her Madeline dies and Roderick has her entombed in the walls of the house so entombed in the walls of the house so that the doctors will not dissect her body that the doctors will not dissect her body to study her illness.to study her illness.

After his sister dies, Roderick gets worse.After his sister dies, Roderick gets worse. The speaker begins to think he might be The speaker begins to think he might be

getting sick.getting sick.

During a storm, Roderick shows the speaker During a storm, Roderick shows the speaker that the house is surrounded by a glowing that the house is surrounded by a glowing vapor.vapor.

Roderick and the speaker buried Madeline Roderick and the speaker buried Madeline alive and Roderick knew all along because of alive and Roderick knew all along because of his “acute senses.”his “acute senses.”

The House crumbles after the speaker gets The House crumbles after the speaker gets out, leaving Madeline and Roderick inside.out, leaving Madeline and Roderick inside.