Setting & Mood
This story begins with the narrator arriving at a gloomy mansion surrounded by decay.
What is The Fall of the House of Usher?
In The Fall of the House of Usher, this character suffers from a mysterious illness and is obsessed with death.
Who is Roderick Usher?
A shared theme in both stories is the fear of this.
Poe uses this technique to build suspense throughout the story.
What is foreshadowing?
In House Taken Over, the siblings live in this type of home.
What is a large, inherited family house?
In House Taken Over, Irene and her brother show this trait by continuing their routines despite the strange events.
What is denial or passivity?
Poe’s tone in The Fall of the House of Usher can be described as this.
What is gothic or melancholic?
Cortázar’s story lacks this traditional plot element, making it feel more surreal.
What is a resolution?
Poe uses this literary device to mirror the psychological state of the characters through the setting.
What is symbolism?
Roderick and Madeline Usher are related in this way.
What is twins?
Cortázar’s tone is more subtle and understated, creating this effect.
What is quiet horror or surrealism?
The narrator in Poe’s story is unreliable in this way.
What is the deterioration of his own mental state?
The mood in both stories can best be described using this term.
What is eerie or unsettling?
The narrator in Poe’s story serves this role in relation to Roderick.
What is a childhood friend or outsider?
The crumbling house in Poe’s story symbolizes this.
What is the decline of the Usher family or mental deterioration?
Cortázar’s use of vague language and unexplained events contributes to this literary style.
The intrusion in House Taken Over is never explained, creating this type of atmosphere.
What is ambiguity or mystery?
The siblings in House Taken Over ultimately do this when the house is fully overtaken.
What is leave without resistance?
The theme of isolation is shown in House Taken Over through this lifestyle choice.
What is the siblings’ reclusive and routine-driven existence?
Both authors use this narrative perspective to create intimacy and mystery.
What is first-person narration?