View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does Usher react to bright light?

2. What type of energy does the narrator believe Usher's chin shows?

3. What does the narrator perceive under the mass of cloud vapors?

4. In what were the evil things that assailed the monarch's "high estate" dressed?

5. How is Usher's skin described?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the narrator say about the decor of the house?

2. What is one picture Roderick painted that the narrator describes and says it is not as abstract as the others?

3. With what is the narrator impressed concerning Roderick?

4. How does the narrator describe Roderick's appearance?

5. To what does the narrator attribute the changes in Roderick?

6. What is the significance of the small volume titled “Directorium Inquisitorium,” by the Dominican Eymeric de Gironne?

7. How does Roderick explain his invitation to a visit by the narrator?

8. Why is the narrator unable to shake off his feelings of uneasiness the night of the storm?

9. What type of struggle is going on within Roderick?

10. What changes about Roderick's voice in the days following Madeline's death?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Poe does an exemplary job of portraying gloom, fear and horror.

Discuss some of the techniques Poe uses to elicit the emotions he wants from the reader. Use examples from The Fall of the House of Usher to support your reasoning.

Essay Topic 2

Poe was a literary critic as well as a writer. He claims a story must concentrate on a single effect.

What is the single effect in The Fall of the House of Usher and how is this effect evident in the characters, the setting and the symbolism?

Essay Topic 3

Oftentimes, a story has more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and oftentimes the other way. Some stories seem to balance the two.

What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven or action driven? Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why? Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character are developed to the same degree? Why or why not? What type of plot do you think The Fall of the House of Usher is? Explain your response.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 637 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample