Blog Set 10
The Fall of the House of Usher
This was my first time reading Poe’s “The Fall
of the House of Usher, it wasn’t as difficult to get through as I thought it
would be. The elements depicted in the story immediately gave me chills as I
envisioned the creepiest house possible. The description Poe used through out
his story was impeccable, he gave the house a personality itself and I almost
felt like the house itself could’ve easily been part of the problem. It
reminded me of those old traditional families who have always lived in the same
place for generations, each birth and each death taking place in the same
place. Which is also what Poe is known for, finding that blurred line between
life and death. The symptoms of the narrators childhood friend seemed to trace
back to the same weakness of a vampire, light sensitivity, lack of appetite for
food, paleness, and enhanced features. The User’s twin sister was also
suffering from the same illness but the way the Usher had her corpse left once
she passed was as if he knew she wouldn’t be long for gone, as if it was a
family secret. This also led me to think maybe the family was indeed a part of
the undead and that’s why they kept to themselves and the house. The stereotypes
of a typical haunted house during the entire story. First the house itself is
generations old and sit’s with large windows that are described as eyes
watching all that happens around it, the doors are massive, heavy and threatening.
The inside is dark despite the large windows because the inhabitants cannot
stand the light and the family tomb is conveniently located on the premises,
filled with lines of corpses.
Afterward
1910
As I began reading Edith Wharton’s “Afterward”
I noticed how the house was also made into it’s own character within the story,
demanding an equal amount of attention and concern as the characters that are
people do. The house is also perceived as eerie, deceiving, and that haunted feeling
remains. I think this story fit in nicely with the American gothic genre, with
the haunted setting but still the glimmer of hope since the couple finally got
what they wished for, to live with a member of the supernatural. All I can say
is be careful what you wish for. What they used to dream for became a nightmare,
as the husband dies “afterward” when the mystery is solved but it is too late.
I agree that Poe's ability to express the house and setting so well to the point where it could be a "problem" point in the plot is amazing. The vampire element that you mention is super cool I didn't look at it that way but now it totally makes sense. I assumed to that there was definitely a "living-dead" aspect to their family. It was clear that Roderick had left some details out about his family's past.
ReplyDeleteBianca, I too, enjoyed reading "Afterward". It was a chilling story with layers of intrigue and a lot of great details. I believe that the house was so meticulously crafted in order to give us a false sense of home and security so we think that nothing terrible is going to happen. After all, this home is supposed to be their getaway from their hectic lifestyles. The home is meant to be their retirement and relaxation, not a symbol for a nightmare. The theme of this text might be “Be careful what you wish for.” However, I think it should be more like, "Be careful what you do unto others, because you never know when they're going to die and hunt you down to seek retribution for your transgressions against them until you're dead yourself!" It's a scary concept if you believe in life after death. What goes around comes around!
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