Shadows. Darkness. An old house, secluded and gloomy. Endless night, thick bogs, fallen trees lying among rampant weeds. All these images in their simplest form create an eerie picture. Obviously, this is not the setting of a carnival or circus story (unless, of course, you are me). The setting of a story or play can be essential to its meaning; their themes can depend solely on the basis of setting. Edgar Alan Poe was a master, a genius when it came to establishing setting. Most of his stories are depressing, gloomy, and, most of all, frightening.

“The Fall of the House of Usher” is such a story that would have been severely limited had it lacked the vivid description of its settings. The overall setting mirrored the state of the mind of Roderick, the main character. With every bit of the setting working to establish a tone, we see the Roderick’s sickness turn to insanity and we witness his fall and the consequent fall of the house itself.

Imagery within the setting helps to create other parts of the tale such as plot, theme, and character. Poe uses his talent to do just this and the rest fell into the darkness he created.