Everyone has read a book where the author has a way of putting the reader in a state of fear where they start to shudder and go into a state of pure paranoia. Edgar Allen Poe is one of those
             authors; his perception of corruption and the dark side of life is incomparisable. Many people have analized the impact and horror that engulphed Poe's work. However the truly remarkable story isn't found in a library, it was the story of Poe's own life. The struggles faced within his own mind and how he was influenced by his experiances are just as interesting and terrifying as Poe's stories. ne of the
             most symbolic and captivating stories that Poe wrote was The Fall of the House of Usher. This tale is a pure representation of the truly depressing life of Poe and perfect evidence of how his work reflected who he was and how he became that way.
             Poe's stories are all full of dark and sinical descriptions of the world. This is partially because through Poe's eyes the world was a dark and depressing place, full of corruption and evil. The symbolism and description in The Fall of the House of Usher is the perfect reflection of this. When the unnamed narrator first enters the property surrounding the House of Usher he notices the reflection of the house in the tarn infront of it. He describes the dull and dark surroundings of the House and the deep stagnant image of the house in the tarn. Upon further examination of the house the reader learns that there is a great deal of damage. Fungi covering the exterior, spider web filled eaves, and at one point the narrator goes as far as to say "Its principle feature seemed to be that of an excessive antiquity". The most important feature of the decrepet House of Usher, which is also the most influencial, is the fissure that runs down the entire building. That one characteristic forms an intricate web of symbolism between the characters, the story, and
             especially the author. The fissure is clearly d...