Usher Response Prompts Handout
American Literature • Edgar Allan Poe Online Response Prompt
The Fall of the House of Usher
Choice Response
Select ONE prompt below. Connect your literary analysis to yesterday's NPR piece, video, or haunted house activity.
Keys to a Thorough Response
1. Clear Claim: Open with a direct thesis statement.
2. Text Evidence: Cite 2+ specific story quotes or scenes.
3. Connection: Apply yesterday's media or design concepts.
Option 1
Fear and the Human Mind
Connects to NPR / Video
How does fear overpower the characters in the story, and what does it do to their rational thinking?
Be sure to address:
- How fear alters Roderick Usher’s (or the narrator’s) thoughts, feelings, and actions.
- Direct connections to what yesterday's NPR audio and video revealed about how fear affects the brain.
Sentence Starter: "In 'The Fall of the House of Usher,' fear overtakes [Character] in ways that mirror yesterday's NPR discussion on fear by..."
Option 2
The Narrator and Suspense
Connects to Suspense Video
How does the narrator build terror for the reader, and is he truly reliable or blinded by fear?
Be sure to address:
- How the narrator’s growing anxiety creates psychological suspense (as discussed in yesterday's video).
- Whether he is a reliable narrator or if his perceptions are distorted by terror and isolation.
Sentence Starter: "By revealing his own escalating panic, the narrator builds suspense much like the psychological triggers we explored, because..."
Option 3
Gothic Literature & Architecture
Connects to Haunted House Activity
Definition: Gothic literature is fiction defined by dark, decaying settings (crumbling estates, eerie landscapes), psychological dread, mystery, and an overwhelming atmosphere of gloom.
How does Poe use Gothic elements—and how do his techniques mirror the haunted house you designed?
Be sure to address:
- How the decaying house, gloomy tarn, and eerie architecture reflect core Gothic conventions.
- How Poe's atmospheric choices mirror the suspense techniques you used in yesterday's haunted house.
Sentence Starter: "Just as we used eerie atmosphere to design our haunted houses yesterday, Poe establishes classic Gothic horror by..."
Submission Checklist:
1 prompt chosen 2+ text citations Prior lesson link Proofread
Usher Gradebook Teacher Guide
Florida B.E.S.T. Standards & Gradebook Guide Teacher Reference
The Fall of the House of Usher: Online Response
Grades 9–11 ELA
Florida B.E.S.T. Standards Alignment
ELA.10.R.1.1 / ELA.11.R.1.1 Primary
Literary Elements & Style:
Analyze how key elements (Gothic setting, mood, character disintegration) enhance layers of meaning, tone, and theme in literary texts.
ELA.10.R.1.3 Perspective
Point of View & Reliability:
Analyze how the author establishes narrator perspective, specifically evaluating narrator reliability and psychological bias.
ELA.10.C.1.3 / ELA.11.C.1.3 Writing
Analytical Arguments:
Write analytical responses supporting claims with logical reasoning and cited textual evidence from Poe’s short story.
ELA.10.R.3.3 Comparative
Cross-Media Synthesis:
Compare and integrate textual themes with informational media (NPR fear audio clip, suspense video, and architectural design).
Ready-to-Copy Gradebook Descriptions
SIS Quick Entry (Focus / Skyward / PowerSchool) Under 250 characters
"Usher Choice Response: Students selected 1 prompt analyzing fear, narrator reliability, or Gothic conventions in Poe's 'House of Usher', synthesizing story evidence with recent media on fear psychology. (FL B.E.S.T. ELA.10.R.1.1)"
LMS Full Description (Canvas / Google Classroom) With Rubric Criteria
"Students selected one analytical prompt examining Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Fall of the House of Usher'. Responses required a clear claim, 2+ cited textual proofs, and direct synthesis connecting Poe's craft to prior lesson concepts (NPR fear podcast, suspense video, or haunted house design). Graded on claim clarity, evidence citation, analytical reasoning, and written conventions."
Suggested 16-Point Rubric (4 pts each)
Category: Formative / Written Analysis
1. Claim & Focus (4)
States a precise, defensible thesis directly answering all parts of the chosen prompt.
2. Text Evidence (4)
Integrates 2+ relevant direct quotes or specific scenes accurately cited from Poe's story.
3. Analysis & Link (4)
Deep explanation linking story details to psychology, suspense, or Gothic architecture.
4. Conventions (4)
Clear syntax, academic voice, proper punctuation, and effective sentence structure.
Quick Grade Comment: "Strong text evidence and insightful connection between Poe's Gothic decay and our haunted house activity."
