Tag Archives: edgar allan poe

The Fall of the House of Usher: The Tale of Madness and Decay

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Edgar Allan Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher is a haunting short story that masterfully explores themes of isolation, mental deterioration, and the inescapable grip of family legacy. First published in 1839, the story follows an unnamed narrator who visits his old friend, Roderick Usher, at the Usher family estate. Upon arrival, he is struck by the bleak and decaying atmosphere of the mansion, which seems to mirror the physical and psychological condition of its inhabitants.

Roderick, suffering from a mysterious illness, and his twin sister, Madeline, who is on the brink of death, are the last members of the once-great Usher family. As the story unfolds, the mansion itself begins to embody the psychological torment of its residents. The house seems to crumble under the weight of its own dark history, and its eventual collapse parallels Roderick’s descent into madness.

I personally love the vivid, Gothic imagery Poe uses to enhance the story’s eerie mood. The detailed descriptions of the house’s dark, oppressive environment set the stage for the final, shocking twist, where Madeline, seemingly dead, returns from her tomb to confront her brother. I love the tragic conclusion in which the physical collapse of the House mirrors the emotional breakdown of the entire Usher family. I think Poe created a wonderfully dark story for anyone who loves Gothic, haunting stories.

If you enjoy eerie and chilling stories, Edgar Allen Poe is for you. The suspense leading up to the climax leaves you clinging to your chair and biting your nails which was perfect for Halloween which was when I read this. Ultimately, this timeless exploration of moral decay and inner turmoil is a wonderful read for anyone willing to pick up one of Poe’s horror novels.

Kaiya T.

The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library.

Annabel Lee by Edgar Allan Poe

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“Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allan Poe is a poem about a young man and woman’s love story. The story follows a love that provokes even the angels to strip the man of the woman as she passes away in the poem. The poem surrounds the themes of love and how both deep love and death cause great grief and sorrow. 

I particularly love how Poe develops the poem and creates it into a short story. While reading, it barely feels like a real poem, and rather a simple story about a couple in love and their tragic ending. I also love the way that Poe describes the couple’s love as he conveys their love as almost ethereal and something only seen once in a lifetime. The reader is truly immersed in their love especially with how Poe emphasizes how they had a “love that was more than love.” 

I did not dislike anything in particular, except for Poe’s eccentric habit of writing about a young, beautiful woman’s death. I find Edgar Allan Poe an extremely odd man who often wrote about darker themes. Despite how much I enjoy his poems, they may appear a bit strange or may carry hints of weird recurring themes. 

I truly enjoy this poem and recommend that anyone reads it. “Annabel Lee” is a short poem that is easy and fun to read that makes you wonder more about the couple’s story. Please give it a try as well as Edgar Allan Poe’s other works like Tell Tale Heart, a short novel, or even “The Bells,” another poem.

Kaiya T.

Books by Edgar Allan Poe are available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. They are also available to download for free from Libby.

Teen Read Week: Seek the Unknown with Paranormal Stories

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TRW_logo_Teen Read Week is from October 13th to the 19th and the theme is “Seek the Unknown.” Right in time for Halloween and the spooky season of autumn, I’m focusing specifically on the genre of the paranormal.

Paranormal is defined as anything beyond normal explanation. The genre of the paranormal involves creatures, ideas, and other horrors unexplainable by science or reason. It also addresses themes such as supernatural phenomena and superstition. Paranormal stories leave you with a sense of unease and endless questions of “what if.”

My favorite literary works from the paranormal genre are actually short stories and poems. I feel that short stories and poems capture the essence of the paranormal better than novels because they are as short lived as the paranormal experiences themselves. The poems and short stories of Edgar Allan Poe are among my favorites in the paranormal genre.

Aubrey_Beardsley_-_Edgar_Poe_2

illustration by Aubrey Beardsley

“The Black Cat” by Edgar Allan Poe is my favorite paranormal story.

Edgar Allan Poe is by far one of my most beloved poets. His dark themes and imagery make for the ideal paranormal story. In my opinion, “The Black Cat” is the most frightening piece I have ever read by Poe. The short story is centered around an unnamed narrator. The narrator has been fond of animals all his life. He and his wife own several pets, including a large black cat named Pluto. The narrator and Pluto get along amicably and they are very fond of one another. Everything is going well until the narrator becomes an alcoholic, and in a fit of rage and confusion, he gouges the eyes of his beloved pet. Pluto then becomes afraid of the narrator and in another fit of rage, the narrator hangs the cat from a tree. In the middle of the night, the narrator’s house burns down and he comes back the next day to collect his belongings, only to find a depiction of Pluto in a noose on the wall. He disregards this and moves on with his life. He later finds a cat like Pluto in a tavern, they are identical in every way but one: this cat has a white patch on his black fur. The narrator soon begins to resent the animal and also begins to notice that at times the white patch on the cat resembles the gallows. The cat and the narrator’s relationship goes from unpleasant to unmatched. The cat attempts to trip the narrator so he would fall down stairs so, the narrator attempts to kill the cat and the story only progresses even more paranormally from there!

-Sarah B., 12th grade