Comparative Essay Example: The Fall of the House of Usher and House Taken Over

When reading a piece of literature there could be any type of mood. In two stories “The Fall of the House of Usher” and “House Taken Over” there were two very different moods. The connotations of each of these stories make each reader express a different feeling. In the story by Edgar Allen Poe “The Fall of the House of Usher”, we are introduced to Gothic literature. The story by Julio Cortazar, “House Taken Over”, we find Magical Realism. Even though the moods of these two stories are diverse they do have some similarities along with their differences. 

Gothic literature is a literary genre that began in England in the late 1700’s. This style refers to medieval times which were represented by being dark and gloomy. The story “The Fall of the House of Usher” was a piece of Gothic literature. In this story a brother, Rodrick Usher, and sister are both near death living in an eerie old house. Poe states in, “The Fall of the House of Usher” that “I know not how it was--but, with the first glimpse of the building, a sense of insufferable gloom pervaded my spirit” (Poe 1). That evidence shows that the whole setting of this story is creepy and gloomy. Another example of this story being Gothic Literature is in paragraph 45 through 46 it exclaims “A sickly smile quivered about his lips; and I saw that he spoke low, hurried, and gibbering murmur, as if unconscious of my presence,” it then goes on to say, “We have put her living in the tomb.” These quotes are explaining how the brother in this story, Rodrick Usher, buried his sister alive. The effect this story has on the reader is appalling and intriguing at the same time. This story draws readers into the plot with use of words of a scary connotation to keep them wanting more. 

Magical realism is a literary genre closely related with some Latin American twentieth century authors. It came to terms as fantasy and reality that adds some unrealistic elements to real life. In “House Taken Over” there are many elements that make it a good example of Magical Realism. This story is what happens to a brother and sister spending their lives in a house together. In this short story it quotes, “We rose at seven in the morning and got the cleaning done, and about eleven I left Irene to finish off whatever rooms and went to the kitchen” (Cortazar 2).  This clearly shows the reality in the story because this happens all the time in everyday life. The next element expressed in the story is supernatural and unreal. In paragraph six of Cortazar's “House Taken Over” it states, “The sound came through muted and indistinct, a chair being knocked over onto the carpet or the muffled buzzing of a conversation.” This fantasy in this story is what makes it a good example of magical realism. The effect this story gives the reader is a mix between fiction and nonfiction, which makes the piece of literature enjoyable to read. 

Despite the different connotations of these stories, both stories have the same original storyline. Both “The Fall of the House of Usher” and “House Taken Over” there is a set of siblings, both sister and brother. The two pairs both live in old spacious houses that their family passed down to them. In “The Fall of the House of Usher” it quotes, “House of Usher--an appellation which seemed to include, in the minds of the peasantry who used it, both the family and the family mansion” (Poe 3). Also in “House Taken Over” it says, “...simple marriage of sister and brother was the indispensable end to a line established in this house by our grandparents” (Corazar 2). These two pieces of evidence show how these two pieces are similar. 

In conclusion, in “The Fall of the House of Usher” and “House Taken Over” there are two very different moods. Each story has its own connotation that it gives its reader. Poe’s story, “The Fall of the House of Usher”, introduces us to Gothic literature. In the story by Cortazar, “House Taken Over”, we find Magical Realism. Both stories are perfect examples of their literature type. Although the moods of these two stories are different, their stories are comparable.