I am beginning to pick up a recurring theme in most of the pieces that we have read. The ultimate and maybe undying connection to the past and to the traditional family land. In Edgar Allen Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher, the theme of a deep connection to the land is very apparent. The Usher family has lived on the same piece of land for many years. And now Roderick and his sister Madeline are the only members of the Usher family left.
It seems as if the Ushers are unable to leave their ancestral home. I think this is best explained by the fact that the narrator is invited to come and visit the Usher home rather than Roderick traveling away from his home. I think that one of the symbols that appeared to me was that when Madeline was finally dead they put her body in the vault in the house. It seems to me that this may have been symbolism for the fact that even in death there is a deep connection to the property. Her life was so connected to that house that even in death she was unable to escape the bonds that tied her family there.
Roderick was connected to house himself. Unable to leave because of his metaphoric bonds to the house Roderick perished there. Seeing this deadly connection to the House the narrator leaves.
When I thought about this obvious connection to the house and land I thought: What could Poe possible be saying by using this morbid tale? I thought that Poe may have been using this as a commentary on the undying connection that people of the South had to the land. He might also have been trying to say that the connection to the land was unhealthy and brought out the extreme fanatical lengths that Southern citizens would go to protect their land and their way of life. This radical devotion to the land could have foreshadowed the Civil War and the measures of devotion to the land to the point of death that Southerns would use to protect the land.
4 comments:
Kyle, I really enjoyed reading your blog. It was easy to read and the theme you noted about Southerners being tied to the land was really interesting. I especially liked your conclusion that Poe is saying that the connection to the land is unhealthy. The only thing I would add to your argument is that its more than just the land that is unhealthy, its the tradition and family values as well. I believe that Madeline and Roderick knew the house was responsible for their condition, and as you said they refused to leave. They accepted their fate because of the "deep connection to the property." In life, and in death, they are trapped there by the ties to their ancestors and the tradition that goes along with that.
You bring up an interesting point. The Usher's were so connected to their house that they were willing to risk everything to keep the ties. I like how you pointed out how Roderick asked the Narrater to come to him, and I never really thought about him going to the narrater. Also them putting Madeline's dead body in the vault. Although the reason Roderick gav was because Roderick didn't want her to become a medical experiment, but it was obvious that was not the true reason. The house held them back and brought them down.
Kyle,
I thought this was a really great blog. I liked that you wrote about Poe’s work; it was nice reading about someone other than Douglass after the past few classes! I also thought you made a great point about the South’s “undying connection” to the land. The association you made to Roderick entombing Madeline within the house being a symbol for Southerner’s connection to the land even in death was intriguing. I really enjoyed reading The Fall of the House of Usher; even though it was slightly disturbing. And after reading your thoughts on the piece, I feel like I can appreciate Poe’s work even more.
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