Poe's intention when writing "The Fall of the House of Usher" was not to present a moral, lesson, or truth to the reader; he was simply trying to bring forth a sense of terror to the reader. All of the characters in "The Fall of the House of Usher" are linked to death; by physical objects or by other people. The physical aspect of the House of Usher symbolizes death, in the chain of events, during the story. Even Poe's description of the house has deadly characteristics. Poe describes the house as having "eye-like windows" and being covered by "minute fungi...hanging in a fine tangled web-work from the eaves (fungi eats off the dead remains of other organisms); a barely perceptible fissure, which, extending from the roof of the building in front, made its way down the wall in a zigzag direction, until it became lost in the sullen waters of
the tarn". This "fissure" is presented to the reader, early
in the story, to represent that Roderick's love for his twin sister,
Madeline, was dying, because she was suffering from a mysterious malady, or disease, that baffled her doctors. This caused Roderick to be emotionally and physically depressed, and was described as a madman at this point. "He was convinced that his whole surroundings, the stones of the house, the fungi, the water in the tarn, the very reflected image of the whole, was woven into a physical oneness with the family, condensed, as it were, into one atmosphere-the special atmosphere in which alone the Ushers could live. Roderick invites a friend (the narrator) to the "House of Usher" to visit and support him during this crisis. The narrator is involved in all of Roderick's emotions and problems during the course of the story. He sees Roderick's compassion for his sister during her illness. After Madeline dies he assists Roderick in the placement of her body in a steal coffin in a vault under the house. The reason for such protection of Madeline's body was the fear of her doctors. They were so fascinated by the strangeness of her disease that Roderick feared that they would steal her body for pathologic reasons. Poe uses this whole scenario to show that Roderick really cared for his sister. It was as though they were one being, relying on each other for life; "-a brother, his twin sister, and their incredibly
