Altering Poe

"It was the work of the rushing gust- but then without those doors there DID stand the lofty and enshrouded figure of the lady Madeline of Usher. There was blood upon her white robes, and the evidence of of some bitter struggle upon every portion of her emancipated frame." The lines describe the mysterious Madeline Usher, who in Poe's story there is very little detail about who she was and what malady she suffered from. Her brother, Roderick Usher, is just as mysterious suffering from a different illness, which source is never found out and only hinted at in Poe's story. Why are these characters so mysterious to us and why does the narrator and Roderick's friend not explore more about the situation.

To change Poe's story, I would play Roderick's friend that he asked to come visit him. The friend/ narrator seems to be a bystander in the whole story. I would be a more active participant and try to uncover the cause of my friend aliments. I would definitely not just take my friend's word for it about his sister that the physicians could not cure her. The friend just seems to accept everything that Roderick says and does not question the mysterious nature of the the house and his friend and his sister. I would never let this happen. I would try to uncover the mystery so I could aid my friend's suffering instead of just letting him continue to slid into the darkness of his mind. If I was in the story, I would try to talk to Roderick about what happened since the last time that I saw him and then when I had the full story I could decide the best way to help him and his sister.

Roderick might be resistant to telling me about his history but I would press him until he told me. I would also have to be careful to determine if he is telling me the truth or not. Roderick did not seem in the right state of mind, so he might not be able to recall how he came to be in this condition. I would not let that deter me. I would try asking the servants what they have seen and heard. Once I could understand the problem I would be able to find the solution.

I would alter Poe's story in this way, because as Poe wrote it, there are too many unanswered questions left at the end. The mysterious ending fascinates some readers, but I was left very frustrated and annoyed and would really enjoy be able to change the story.