Roderick
Who is Roderick Usher?
The last heir to the House of Usher
Who is Madeline?
Roderick's sister
Which adjective best describes the narrator as he first explores the interior of the house?
Observant
How had the narrator come upon the House of Usher?
He was riding on horseback by himself when he crossed the house
What is the relationship between the narrator and Roderick?
Despite being boyhood friends, they had not seen each other in years
What is Madeline’s unusual condition?
She has a sickness that baffles her doctors
When the narrator first encounters Roderick, he makes note of…
How pale Roderick’s skin appears (he looks dead)
Based on the narrator’s observations, which is the best description of the House of Usher?
A gloomy place surrounded by dying trees and dirty waters
What does Roderick address in his letter to the narrator?
That he is physically and emotionally unwell
After Madeline dies, Roderick wants to keep her body in the house. Why?
He fears doctors want to use her body for scientific examination
What is the narrator doing as he hears peculiar noises?
Reading to Roderick
What do the narrator and Roderick observe through a window while a storm is going on outside?
A bright gas that encircles the house
The narrator states about Roderick that “his reserve had always been excessive and habitual.” What does he mean?
Roderick was an extremely quiet, distant, and complicated man
After Madeline’s death, the narrator discovers “a striking similitude.” What does this refer to?
The realization that Madeline and Roderick were actually twins
The narrator states that he could not “grapple with the shadowy fancies that crowded upon me as I pondered.” What does “shadowy fancies” refer to?
Dark thoughts
What does Roderick think is wrong with his family?
It is cursed
Which instrument does Roderick play?
Guitar
What is Roderick afraid they have done to Madeline?
Buried her alive
What is the name of the story that the narrator is reading to Roderick to calm him down?
The Mad Trist of Sir Launcelot Canning
How does the story end?
The House of Usher splits in half and sinks into the tarn