a long, narrow crack or opening (the narrator sees one on the House of Usher upon arrival)
fissure
a very great age
antiquity
to take something large and reduce to small fragments
annihilate
Synonyms include boisterous, hectic, loud, turbulent, etc.
tumultuous
Antonyms of this word include “union” or “unification”
dissolution
How does the narrator know Roderick, and why is he traveling to the House of Usher in the first place?
They were boyhood friends, and Roderick sent him a letter saying he was suffering from a mental illness and that he needed his friend.
Describe the mysterious illness that Madeline has
Madeline suffered from catalepsy, a mysterious disease that left her without control of her bodily movements.
What disturbing idea does Roderick have about the house, and what word does he continue to use to describe the house?
That it is has “sentience” or that it is aware/living.
What is Roderick Usher’s GREATEST fear?
Dying of FEAR (aka being frightened to death)
Which character is the following quote about (and what causes it?):
“There was an iciness, a sinking, a sickening of the heart--an unredeemed dreariness of thought…”
the narrator. The setting causes it
What ends up happening to Madeline?
She gets mistaken for dead, gets mistakenly entombed in a coffin, but then revives, forces her way to freedom before dying
What happens to the House of Usher in the ending?
The fissure widens until the house collapses
What two things did Edgar Allan Poe like to mirror/resemble one another?
setting and characters’ state of mind
Describe how Roderick’s state of mind mirrored the setting
dark, gloomy, comfortless, tattered, scattered, melancholic
How does life imitate art in “The Fall of the House of Usher”? Give at least 1 SPECIFIC example
the stories from the medieval tale contained the same sounds as Madeline struggling to get out of the entombment.
Provide at least 3 descriptions of setting for traditional gothic literature
Dark, remote, exotic settings, such as gloomy mansion or castle. Sometimes set in distant past. Maybe haunted or cursed. Strong images and symbols.
Describe the characters (give at least 2 examples) in Traditional Gothic literature
Strange, eccentric people, often of high social standing. Deep emotions (such as grief, depression, or terror). Sometimes involve monsters or ghosts.
Describe typical plot events (give at least 2 examples) in Traditional Gothic Literature
Unusual occurrences involving violence or supernatural elements
Describe endings of Traditional Gothic Literature
Dramatic endings that fully resolve the dark, scary events
Besides Traditional Gothic Literature, what other types of genres did Edgar Allan Poe like to write?
science fiction and the detective story
In your own words, what is denotation?
dictionary definition of a word
In your own words, what is connotation
emotional or imaginative association a word has
Out of the two, which one can have shades of meaning?
shades of meaning
Between the two, which is fixed and unchangeable?
denotation
Which word has the most appropriate connotation to complete the following sentence:
Mona’s bright yellow outfit was beautiful, but it was too _____ for a court appearance before a judge. (expensive, conservative, flamboyant).
flamboyant
Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and what else?
other adverbs
Fill in the blank for the following formula for compound sentences:
____________, [ ] ____________
independent clause, [FANBOYS] independent clause
Every complex sentence contains what two things?
an independent clause and a dependent clause
Every dependent clause begins with this
a subordinate conjunction
Name at least 4 subordinate conjunctions (AAAAWWWOUEBISTT words)
After, Although, Awhile, As, While, When, Whenever, Whether, Once, Until, Unless, Because, Before, If, Even though, Since, Though, Till
What is the name of the song that Roderick sings lyrics to on the spot?
“The Haunted Palace”
Usher gives 3 reasons for why he asked the narrator to visit him. Which is NOT a reason he gave for requesting the visit?
He was afraid of the storm that was coming
How does the character of Madeline impact the character of Usher?
She has become part of what has made Usher's mental condition worse.
In what way is Usher's ballad about the king and palace symbolic of the situation of Usher himself?
The king and Usher are living in situations that have declined or worsened.
Which of the following could be a synonym for the word "desolate"?
Empty
What happened to Madeline Usher?
She had a disease called catelepsy and died from it.
How did the outside and inside of the house reflect Usher?
The outside had a fissure which represented a crack in his life that can't be fixed. The old furniture inside the house represents how old and tired he is.
What is the overall mood of the story?
Depressing, frightening, and unsettling.
rending
violent or forceful pulling apart of something.
FANBOYS
for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so
if a dependent clause comes before a independent clause you need a comma.
true
If an independent clause comes before a dependent clause you need a comma.
false