Critical Review of The Fall of the House of Usher
             Fear is a basic element of human emotion that is caused by the expectation or realization of danger. The existence of fear is essential for establishing our beliefs and the actions we take throughout our lives. Edgar Allen Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher is a detailed account of Roderick Usher, the proprietor of the House of Usher, and the dementia and disintegration of his mental state, through the eyes of a nameless child hood friend. Poe suggests in this story that the denial of our fears can lead to madness and insanity.
             The story begins on one "...dull, dark, and soundless day in the autumn of the year...."(264) From the very beginning, the reader, as a result of Poe's imagery, is aware of a sense of death and decay. Even the narrator, Roderick's childhood companion, describes "a sense of insufferable gloom [which] pervaded [his] spirit"(264) as he approached the House of Usher. The term "House of Usher" refers not only to the crumbling mansion but also to the remaining family members who live within. The rotting mansion, mysterious illnesses, strange sounds at night, and Madeline being buried alive creates an atmosphere of fear and danger. This atmosphere is essential in delivering the author's message to the readers effectively.
             There are three significant characters in this tale: the narrator and Roderick and Madeline Usher. The narrator is a boyhood companion of Roderick Usher. He has not seen Roderick since they were children; however, because of an urgent letter that he received from Roderick which requested his aid, the nameless narrator decides to make the long journey to visit his friend. "...[I]t was the apparent heart that went with his request --which allowed me no room for hesitation...."(264)
             Roderick and Madeline Usher are the sole, remaining members of the long, time-honored Usher race. When Madeline dies and is placed in her coffin, th...