Final answer:
The essay compares 'House Taken Over' by Julio Cortázar and 'The Fall of the House of Usher' by Edgar Allan Poe, focusing on the theme of isolation and decline with Cortázar centering on subtle threats and Poe on psychological terror.
Step-by-step explanation:
Comparing and Contrasting 'House Taken Over' and 'The Fall of the House of Usher'
In a multiparagraph essay comparing and contrasting 'House Taken Over' by Julio Cortázar and 'The Fall of the House of Usher' by Edgar Allan Poe, one can identify a unifying theme of the effects of isolation and the inexorable decline of the protagonists as they are consumed by mysterious forces within their homes.
Thesis Statement
While both 'House Taken Over' and 'The Fall of the House of Usher' revolve around characters confined within ancestral homes that lead to their downfall, Cortázar's work focuses on the subtlety of the unseen threat and inevitability of relinquishing control, whereas Poe delves into the psychological terror and decay, thus providing a more introspective and gothic perspective.
Body Paragraph 1
Topic sentence: 'House Taken Over' suggests a subtle and existential dread through the unnamed external force claiming the property, whereas 'The Fall of the House of Usher' externalizes internal decay and madness.
Contextualize evidence: The silence and routine in Cortázar's narrative contrast sharply with the atmospheric tension and decaying landscape of Poe's Usher, highlighting different approaches to the theme of isolation and its psychological impact.
Transition: Moving from the sense of atmosphere and setting, both stories also examine the complex psychological states of their characters caused by isolation.
Conclusion Paragraph
Restate thesis statement: The thematic exploration of isolation in Cortázar's and Poe's tales reveals their distinct narrative styles while portraying the protagonists' inescapable descent.
Summarize main arguments: The use of space and setting in both stories serves as a backdrop for exploring the nuanced differences in the portrayal of isolation's effects on the human psyche.
Explain the significance: Analyzing these texts side by side provides deeper insight into the multifaceted nature of literary depictions of psychological horror and speaks to universal fears surrounding the loss of control over one's environment.