Final answer:
Usher's presence in Edgar Allan Poe's tale exudes an oppressive, gloomy atmosphere that evokes an intense sense of anxiety in the narrator, making option B) Made the narrator anxious the correct choice.
Step-by-step explanation:
How did Usher's presence influence the narrator? In Edgar Allan Poe's tale, Usher's presence profoundly impacted the narrator, resulting in an overwhelming sense of anxiety. From the physical manifestation of Usher's house reflecting in the tarn to the character's cadaverous appearance and erratic behavior, each detail intensifies the narrator's feeling of unease. Despite initial attempts to reason away the gloomy atmosphere and the impending doom, the narrator is drawn into the inescapable and oppressive morbidity of Usher's world.
The sense of anxiety is depicted through the narrator's description of Usher's appearance and mental state, as Usher exhibits an intense concentration that unnerves the narrator. This is further evidenced when the narrator hears the hollow, metallic reverberations, which do not disturb Usher, but leave the narrator utterly unnerved. The narrator's compelled attentiveness to Usher's condition, as well as the emotional weight of seeing a long-time friend so altered, contributes to his growing anxiety.
In the story, the narrator's attempt to lift the gloom with shared activities only reveals the futility in comforting someone entrenched in despair. This deeply affects the narrator, emphasizing the fact that Usher's presence did indeed make the narrator anxious and not calm, inspired, or unaffected. Hence, the correct option with respect to this situation is B) Made the narrator anxious.