Question

while you read
select one of the following themes (circle it), then provide three pieces of evidence to support that theme
-fear can become a self-fulfilling prophecy
-the inevitability of decay
-isolation leads to madness
evidence 1
evidence 2
evidence 3
which of the three theme seems the most dominate at this point? why?
exit ticket
how does madeline’s entombment connect to one of the themes?

Explanation:

Evidence for "the inevitability of decay" (assuming the text is related to "The Fall of the House of Usher" by Edgar Allan Poe):

Evidence 1:

The Usher family lineage has become inbred and weakened over time, with no new blood introduced. This shows the decay of the family's genetic and social structure.

Evidence 2:

The physical state of the House of Usher is described as decaying—cracks in the walls, a general sense of dilapidation. The house mirrors the decay of the Usher family.

Evidence 3:

Madeline Usher's illness and eventual entombment (and later escape) represent the decay of the body and the breakdown of life, as her condition worsens until her "death" and the subsequent chaos.

Which theme is most dominant?

"The inevitability of decay" seems most dominant. The house’s physical decay, the family’s genetic and social decay, and Madeline’s physical decay all converge to show that decay is an inescapable force in the story. The other themes (fear as self - fulfilling prophecy, isolation leading to madness) are related but stem from or are exacerbated by the underlying theme of decay.

Madeline’s entombment and the theme:

Madeline’s entombment connects to "the inevitability of decay" in several ways. First, her entombment is a result of her physical decay (her illness). Second, the act of entombing her (while she is still alive, in a sense) is a perversion of life that accelerates decay—both her own (as she is trapped and later "returns" in a decayed state) and the decay of the Usher family and house. Her entombment is a physical manifestation of the inescapable decay that is central to the story.

Answer:

Evidence for "the inevitability of decay" (assuming the text is related to "The Fall of the House of Usher" by Edgar Allan Poe):

Evidence 1:

The Usher family lineage has become inbred and weakened over time, with no new blood introduced. This shows the decay of the family's genetic and social structure.

Evidence 2:

The physical state of the House of Usher is described as decaying—cracks in the walls, a general sense of dilapidation. The house mirrors the decay of the Usher family.

Evidence 3:

Madeline Usher's illness and eventual entombment (and later escape) represent the decay of the body and the breakdown of life, as her condition worsens until her "death" and the subsequent chaos.

Which theme is most dominant?

"The inevitability of decay" seems most dominant. The house’s physical decay, the family’s genetic and social decay, and Madeline’s physical decay all converge to show that decay is an inescapable force in the story. The other themes (fear as self - fulfilling prophecy, isolation leading to madness) are related but stem from or are exacerbated by the underlying theme of decay.

Madeline’s entombment and the theme:

Madeline’s entombment connects to "the inevitability of decay" in several ways. First, her entombment is a result of her physical decay (her illness). Second, the act of entombing her (while she is still alive, in a sense) is a perversion of life that accelerates decay—both her own (as she is trapped and later "returns" in a decayed state) and the decay of the Usher family and house. Her entombment is a physical manifestation of the inescapable decay that is central to the story.