Read the excerpt from Poe’s "The Fall of the House of Usher."

"His eyes were bent fixedly before him, and throughout his whole countenance there reigned a stony rigidity. But, as I placed my hand upon his shoulder, there came a strong shudder over his whole person; a sickly smile quivered about his lips; and I saw that he spoke in a low, hurried, and gibbering murmur, as if unconscious of my presence."

Which statement best describes the effect of narration on the story?

a. The narration cultivates sympathy for Usher’s illness.

b. The narration cultivates concern about the men’s friendship.

c. The narration cultivates dread about Usher’s mental demise.

d. The narration cultivates hatred for Usher and his sister.

The narrator is aware of Roderick's mental illness. The scene happens when they hear noises though there is nobody else in the house. The narration cultivates dread about Usher’s mental demise.

The important points are:

The mood in the story is dark. The setting evokes mysteriousness.
Roderick says that they have buried his sister, Madeline, alive.
He has been hearing noises every day. During the scene, his face becomes rigid.
The narrator hears noises and notices Roderick's demeanor. He places his hand on Roderick and finds him murmuring.

This suggests that the mental state of Roderick has worsened after his sister was buried.

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