fe. It was the constant presence of fear that had caused his illness. Roderick did not know how, or rather was unwilling to try to overcome his fears. One of Roderick’s fears was death. He was from a well-known and honored family, and he and his sister were the last of the long line of Usher descendants. His sister, Madeline, had been fighting a severe and long-continued illness for quite some time, which had added to much of Roderick’s gloom. “ Her decease, would leave him the last of the ancient race of the Ushers.” Roderick seemed not only to fear the death of his sister and ultimately of himself, but also the uncertainty of the future. “I dread the events of the future, not only in themselves, but in their results. I shudder at the thought of any, even the most trivial incident, which may operate upon this intolerable agitation of soul.”The narrator of the story stated that Roderick’s fear might have been linked directly to the house. He explained how he is “enchanted by certain superstitious impressions in regard to the dwelling which he tenanted, and whence, for many years, he had never ventured forth.” Roderick explained his feeling that he was stuck in the house and that horrible things would happen to him if he left. The narrator implied that Roderick’s mental condition might have been relieved if he would leave the house and face his fears. However, because of his fear, Roderick was restrained from leaving and did not make the attempt to defeat the enduring power that held him captive. Later in the story, after Madeline was placed into the vault, Roderick Usher’s fear increased, and his insanity became more evident. “He roamed the chamber with hurried, unequal, and objectless step. The pallor of his countenance had assumed, if possible, a more ghastly hue--” The narrator noticed the changes that had come over Roderick and tried to un...
