Question

Why does poe choose to begin the story in this way "the fall of the house of usher"

A. to provide background information about the history of the house
B. to challenge the audiences expectations about what the house is like
C. to establish both the physical setting and the mood of the story
D. to quicken the pace of the narrative

Answer 1

C. to establish both the physical setting and the mood of the story

Step-by-step explanation:

• Choice C is the best answer. Poe opens the excerpt by speaking about the "dull, dark and soundless" autumn day. The narrator passes lonesomely through a "dreary" or lifeless countryside. The narrator ends the passage by explaining that "no form of stimulation in his mind could make this house extraordinary". The audience learns that the mood is depressing and the setting is the countryside during the autumn.
• Choice A is incorrect. There is no evidence of background history in the passage that can tell us about this house.
• Choice B is incorrect. Poe is very direct with the description in this narration. His tone is pessimistic throughout the entire excerpt. Poe is influencing the audience to despise this voyage to the house and the house itself, as much as the narrator does.
• Choice D is incorrect. Poe is deliberate with his illustration of the narrative. Using words like "dull, dreary..." or "utter depression of soul" to reiterate his point, when more complex synonyms, like despair or dejected can grasp the meaning in fewer words. This style of writing lengthens the narrative.

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