Question: How does the writer portray the atmosphere on order to evoke fear?
Answer: "The Fall of the House of Usher" is a gothic literature piece by famed author Edgar Allan Poe. The narrative revolves around the mental and physical decline of the Usher family. The narrative evokes fear in the readers through the combined effects of the diction, details of the house and the elaborate expression of the writer's own apprehensive emotions. Each of these elements is carefully woven together to portray an atmosphere that evokes fear in the reader's minds. Poe layers the opening paragraphs with fear-inducing words that create a powerful effect. Through incorporating words that carry negative connotations in every sentence, Poe magnifies the impact of the frightening atmosphere that he wishes to create. The words "during", "dull", "dark" and "dreary" in the opening line rhythmically work together to establish a grim atmosphere, created by the plosive "d" sound and enhanced by the alliteration. The description of the atmosphere sounds bleak and lonely, making the reader dread the narrators' being in such an unfavorable place. The phrases "shades of the evening" and "black and lurid tarn" intensify the unflattering nature of the place. These vividly descriptive words thrust the reader into the scene and the reader's attention is drawn to the house with a hostile lake, escalating the reader's tension and unease. Moreover, the writer's companion's "acute bodily illness" and "mental disorder" only serves to encouraging sense of fear towards the narrator, as he would have to spend weeks with a man suffering so miserably, in the "mansion of gloom". The dire description of the house that is so greatly significant in the narrative impels the readers into a fearful state. The house casts a greatly negative effect on the writer - everything about it seems to be surrounded by elements of dread that inflict unease on the writer and consequently the readers. The vacant "eye-like windows" are unnerving, as if the house is constantly watching the author. The "bleak" walls and "decayed trees" intensify the formidable effect of the house. The description of the effect that the house has on the writer only contributes to this; his "shadowy fancies" and "considerations beyond [his] depth" that viewing the house has inflicted on him frighten the reader further. The house is so powerful that it has reduced him to this state of complete incomprehension. The narrators decription leaves the readers anxious for the narrator, anticipating what will come next. Poe's expression of his own emotions exposes the readers to his perturbed state of mind. As the narration connects the readers to the happennings of the story, the reader's feelings instinctually correspond with the feelings of the narrator. The phrase "feeling of insufferable gloom" describes explicitly the suffocation and "utter depression" that the mere sight of the house has inflicted on him, and it subsequently arouses a similar feeling of fear and dread in the reader's minds. Further, the "unsatisfactory conclusion" and inability to comprehend his emotions heightens the reader's fear. The narrator attempts to but cannot fathom what it is about the house that overwhelmed him so negatively and left him at a loss to comprehend his won emotions. The confusion and consequent helplesness of the narrator coincides with the growing sense of apprehension in the reader's minds. Poe has blended the effectiveness of choice diction, the power of detailed description and the expression of his own emotions to create a work that invokes utter fear in the readers.
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Q) How does Winton so vividly portray the mother in 'On Her Knees'?
"I was sixteen when the old man shot through....That'll put her back in her box. Go, Mum." 'On Her Knees' is a short story written by Tim Winton that encapsulates the anecdote of a mother and a son who struggle with their dignity and pride as they fight against the class divide that persists in society. Carol Lang, the protagonist of the story remains honorable and undefeated despite her occupation as a domestic helper, which her son, Victor detests. In this extract, Winton has employed various ideas to strikingly portray the mother through the relationship with her son, the pervasive theme of class divide and Carol Lang's dignity that perseveres throughout the story. The mother and the son are seen to have an amicable relationship as they are perpetually by each other through thick and thin. Their relationship, loving and caring, is seen in "We'd never raised our voices at each other at the cost for fear of driving each other away." reinforcing their close knitted bond. The son, Victor, is viewed as protective of his mother, cares for her deeply and admires her honor and sacrifices she takes and has made solely to provide for him. Thus, portraying her vividly in a positive light. Due to the earrings incident which the story concerns, they could not "stop bickering" and "argued profusely". However, due to the respect and love Victor harbors for his mother, he still decided to help her out for her "toughest" cleaning job and didn't want her suffer alone. Carol saw this gesture as "company" instead, conveying how they have each other's backs. The love that she harbors for him is evident and reinforced when she drives with "excruciating precision", symbolizing how she does not want any harm to befall Victor, hence portraying her as a caring and nurturing woman. Winton, subsequently, delineates a striking impression of Carol Lang through the persisting theme of class divide. She and her son, despite being innocent, are aware of the powerless status they hold in society. Victor who ,as previously mentioned, is a protective son willing to go to great extents in order to prove his mother as innocent. On the other hand, she is seen as the calm and composed figure, unwilling to take such drastic measures as she knows these would only lead to her earning a bad reputation and her reputation is more important to her, than the money she receives. Thus, every cleaning task she undertakes, she does it to the best of her abilities even though the employers will not be as appreciative as they should be. Her modesty and dignity is evident in "We'll clean that flat within an inch of its life", upholding her reputation, thus portraying her in a vivid fashion, almost astonishment in the way she fights against the issue of class divide that plagues society. Furthermore, Winton employs a technique known as the stream of consciousness, which is used as a vehicle to subtly criticize this growing issue, seen throughout the story with no conventional dialogues. Winton, then, places a spotlight on the upper class who are blinded by their wealth and thus feel like they have the right to be discourteous to the lower class seen when they "haggle" with Carol for her rate of pay, and when she gets put down to a "fiver an hour". Even though the mother and son may not be as wealthy as they are, they still have their pride and excellent conduct, thus suggests how wealth does not fixate one's position in society, dignity does.' The theme of dignity, that is laced delicately throughout the story, is voiced by Carol Lang, who meticulously cleans the house of the woman who wrongly accused her of stealing a pair of earrings. Lang is renowned for her cleaning capabilities and is passed around a "hot tip", conveying the sheer pride she takes in her job, despite the meager pay. Her sense of dignity is emphasized by "We'll clean that flat within an inch of its life", which exemplifies the righteous methods that only a moral abiding person can comprehend. Unlike her son, who finds it "demeaning". She believes she's taking the right action to defend herself from the upper class whereas Victor is willing for a direct confrontation. The pride filled ideology she possesses is disparate from his mindset, which represents the common man. Hence, the implementation of the mother and son's relationship, the pervasive issue of class divide and the moving theme of dignity is what buttresses Carol Lang as powerful and inspiring. |
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