Analysis-of-the-Fall-of-the-House-of-Usher-刘颖聪

AnalysisoftheFalloftheHouseofUsher--AnanalysisofRoderickUsherAsamasterofhorrorstories,AllenPoeshowedhisbestintheshorttaleTheFalloftheHouseofUsher.Darktarn,desolatedhouse,gloomyvaultandailingbrotherandsisterallgiveusthebestexpressionofGothicstylefromtheenvironmenttothecharacters.ThreemaincharacterscreatedbytheauthorinthisstoryareRoderickUsher,thenarratorandMadelineUsher.AllenPoefocusedmostofthedescriptiononRoderickUsher,themostmysterycharacterinthisstory.Withthecadaverousbutdelicatecomplexion,lacklustereyesandinstableemotions,Roderickisdefinitelythetopicworththemosttoanalyze.Bornintherichandancientfamily,Roderickisawell-educatedmanwhousedtohavebeautifulandunforgottencountenancebasedonthenarrator’sdescription.However,theunnamablecongenitaldiseasecauseshissensoryoverloadandexcessivenervousagitation.Hecannotlivelikeanormalpersonandcanonlyeatinsipidfood,wearspecialgarments,beexposedtofaintlightandpeculiarsound.Allthesebehaviormakeshimlikeaghostwonderinginthecreepyhouse.Withclosescrutiny,itisnothardtofindtheconnectionsbetweenthehouseandRoderick.Accordingtothenarrator’sdescript,thefirstglimpseofthemelancholyhousecanpervadepeople’smindandthebleakwalls,thevacantye-likewindowsandthedecayingtreesallliketheappearanceofRoderick’face.Nomatterlookingatthefaceofhouseownerorjustgazingatthehousewillgivepeopleanutterdepressionofsoul.Inmyopinion,thedestinyofthehouseiscloserelatedtothefateoftheUsherfamily.Thefissurethatextendsfromtheroofofthebuildingtothesullenwatertarninazigzagdirectionisaveryimportantcluetoprovemyopinion.Atfist,thefissureishardlyperceptible,butthefissurerapidlywidenedandfinallyburstatonceaftertheuntimelydeathofthebrotherandsister.IthinkthefissureappeareduponthehouseshowstheprocessofthecollapseofRoderick’sspiritualworld.Moreover,thesullenanddarktarnjustlikethediseasetorturesRoderickandMadeline.Atthebeginningofthestory,Roderickshowedanoverdonecordialitytothenarratorreunitedinthehouse.Itmanifeststhattheherostillhasalittlebitofhopetotheworldandheshowshislovetohisoldfriendwithnoreservation.Incourseoftime,thementalproblembecomesworseandtotallychangesRoderick.Heismoreandmoremelancholy.Thehyperesthesiaandhypochondriafinallydrivehismindawayandheentombshissister,theonlyfamilymemberandthelastcompanytohim,lively.Attheendofthestory,whenRoderickgetsshockedandfallsonthefloor,hismentalworldeventuallyburnintoashes.Thusthefissurebeginstobroadenandthehouse,whichhascloseconnectionstothefamily,crashesdownanddevoursbytheunfathomabletarn.ToanalyzeRoderick,itisnecessarytomentiontheweirdsmallpicturedrawnbyhim.Animmenselylongandrectangularvaultortunnel,lowwalls,theexcavationlayatanexceedingdepthbelowthesurfaceoftheearth.Allobjectsareghastlyandinappropriatesplendor.Theauthortactfullytriggersreaders’curiosityofthepicture.Whenreadersalmostforgettheemergenceofthepicture,thesceneappearsagain.Butallobjectsarerealthistime.WhenthenarratoraidesRoderickinthearrangementforthetemporaryentombmentattherequestofUsher,itisnothardtofindthatthedisposeofthevaultisthesameasthepictureshows.Atthatmoment,Ibelievethatallthereaders’spinesareshivereddown.Atthiskindofatmosphere,afaintblushonthedeadperson’sfaceandthatsuspiciouslylingeringsmileuponthelipwillshockpeopletodeath.Frommypointofview,thesimilitudebetweenthebrotherandthesisterisnotonlypresentontheirfaces,notalsototheirthoughts.Thelingeringsmileisnotjustanonsensefearfuldetail.Itistheexpressionoftherevengetoherbrother.IthinkMadelinehasalreadyfiguredoutaperfectwaytokillRoderick.AnditseemsthatRoderickhasknownhersister’strick.Atthenearlyendofthestory,RoderickisawareofthatMadelineisstandingoutsideofthedoor.Allthesedetailstellusthesimilitudeofmentalworldsofthetwocharacters.ThehorrorshortstorywrotebyAllenPoeisamasterpiece.Everyelementanddetailinitisrelatedandrelevant.Allthedescriptionsinthestoryarejustlikeanightmare.Itisalmostimpossibletotelltherealityfromtheillusion.Thethreecharactersarealsobecomemoreandmoresimilar.Thereaderwilllosetheirabilitytothinkandtheonlythingleftintheirmindisfear.