Example analysis
During the whole of a dull, dark, and soundless day in the autumn of the year, when the clouds hung oppressively low in the heavens, I had been passing alone, on horseback, through a singularly dreary tract of country; and at length found myself, as the shades of the evening drew on, within view of the melancholy House of Usher. I know not how it was - but, with the first glimpse of the building, a sense of insufferable gloom pervaded my spirit. I say insufferable; for the feeling was unrelieved by any of that half-pleasurable, because poetic, sentiment, with which the mind usually receives even the sternest natural images of the desolate or terrible. I looked upon the scene before me - upon the mere house, and the simple landscape features of the domain - upon the bleak walls - upon the vacant eye-like windows - upon a few rank sedges - and upon a few white trunks of decayed trees - with an utter depression of soul which I can compare to no earthly sensation more properly than to the after-dream of the reveller upon opium - the bitter lapse into everyday life - the hideous dropping off of the veil. There was an iciness, a sinking, a sickening of the heart - an unredeemed dreariness of thought which no goading of the imagination could torture into aught of the sublime. What was it - I paused to think - what was it that so unnerved me in the contemplation of the House of Usher?
The Fall of the House of Usher, Edgar Allan Poe
Sample questions and answers
Example question one
From lines 1-5, identify the phrase that shows the reader what time of day it is. (1 mark)
“…as the shades of the evening drew on…”
This response answers the question precisely, using lines 1-5 to find the exact phrase that shows what time of day it was.
The quotation is not explained or analysed – the question does not require a developed response.
Example question two
In lines 10-16, give two examples that show the narrator is feeling negative. You may use your own words or quotation from the text. (2 marks)
“…utter depression of soul...”
“…a sinking, a sickening of the heart…”
This response uses two quotations from the text. They are well selected and are evidence to show that the narrator is feeling negative. It’s important to quote selectively to show you are picking out the right detail.
Example question three
In lines 1- 11, how does the writer use language to create a sense of the setting? (6 marks)
The writer’s choice of language leaves the impression of a gloomy setting, “dull, dark, and soundless day…” The subtle alliteration and monosyllabic adjectives give the description an abrupt, stark tone. The use of pathetic fallacy, “The cloud hung oppressively low…” also creates a negative feeling, as if the weather mirrors the character’s depressed emotions. The house is described as having “vacant eye-like windows..” This eerie simile creates a death-like feel with the use the adjective ‘vacant’.
- This paragraph gets straight into the The interpretation of a piece of text which looks closely at the language, structure and themes used. - no introduction is needed for this type of question.
- The response is focused on the task, analysing language and setting.
- Every point is supported by evidence from lines 1-11 of the extract.
- Details of the language are linked and the effect is analysed closely.
- At least one more paragraph would be needed to fully answer this question, the 6 marks suggests a longer answer is appropriate here.
