Reader's diary

Questions on a book

1. What was your favourite part of the book?

2. What was your least favourite?
3. Did you race to the end, or was it more of a slow burn?
4. Which scene has stuck with you the most?
5. What did you think of the writing? Are there any standout sentences?
6. Did you reread any passages? If so, which ones?
7. Would you want to read another book by this author?
8. Did reading the book impact your mood? If yes, how so?
9. What surprised you most about the book?
10. How did your opinion of the book change as you read it?
11. If you could ask the author anything, what would it be?
12. How does the book's title work in relation to the book's contents? If you could give the book a new
title, what would it be?
13. Is this book overrated or underrated?
14. Did this book remind you of any other books?
15.How did it impact you? Do you think you'll remember it in a few months or years?
16. Would you ever consider re-reading it? Why or why not?
17.Who do you most want to read this book?
18. Are there lingering questions from the book you're still thinking about?
19. Did the book strike you as original?
Name, Surname: Edgar Allan Poe
Title of a book:The fall of the house of Usher
Question Answer
s

1 I really enjoyed how the author described locations and the characters' emotions. It's really poetic, which is understandable,
considering that the author is also a poet. Poe's writings have always fascinated me and I really enjoyed the whole book. For example
- “a sense of insufferable gloom pervaded my spirit” , “soundless day in the autumn of the year, when the clouds hung oppressively
low in the heavens''
I am also quite fond of this quote: “Who entereth herein, a conqueror hath bin; Who slayeth the dragon, the shield he shall win”

2 Even though the book is a short story - some parts felt like they were dragging for too long, for my liking. For example - there was a
part where the main character met the Ushers family's physician. It easily could have been shorter.

3 It was deffinetly a slow - burn. Even if the story was only a bit over twenty pages long - the story moved slowly. You, as a reader, get
to slowly learn about Usher's past while you follow the events of the family's last hours.

4 It's definitely the ending! It was really captivating. It did the story justice, I feel like the story had come a whole circle. The story
started with the description of the house and it ended the same way. It's really descriptive, so we can visualise the house coming apart.
You can feel the characters' emotions through the pages and it's a really great but also weird feeling. I really enjoyed reading it.

“There was blood upon her white robes, and the evidence of some bitter struggle upon every portion of her emaciated frame. For
a moment she remained trembling and reeling to and fro upon the threshold—then, with a low moaning cry, fell heavily inward upon
the person of her brother, and in her violent and now final death-agonies, bore him to the floor a corpse, and a victim to the terrors he
had anticipated.
 From that chamber, and from that mansion, I fled aghast. The storm was still abroad in all its wrath as I found myself crossing the
old causeway. Suddenly there shot along the path a wild light, and I turned to see whence a gleam so unusual could have issued; for
the vast house and its shadows were alone behind me. The radiance was that of the full, setting, and blood-red moon which now
shone vividly through that once barely-discernible fissure of which I have before spoken as extending from the roof of the building, in
a zigzag direction, to the base. While I gazed, this fissure rapidly widened—there came a fierce breath of the whirlwind—the entire
orb of the satellite burst at once upon my sight—my brain reeled as I saw the mighty walls rushing asunder—there was a long
tumultuous shouting sound like the voice of a thousand waters—and the deep and dank tarn at my feet closed sullenly and silently
over the fragments of the “House of Usher.””

5 I really enjoyed Poe's writing style. This was not the first work I've read from this author and it definitely felt nice coming back to
him. His works are always great, even if they're not poems, it still feels quite poetic and immersive. Edgar Allan Poe is definitely one
of my favourite authors and I am pretty sure that I would enjoy any of his works. I love horror, so a book with its main theme as
“insanity and madness” was right up my alley. The whole work is magnificent and it's really hard to choose just a few lines, but i
suppose it would be these - “intolerable because there was nothing poetic or beautiful about this scene, only the dreary house on the
edge of a cliff over a black lake” , “now there was a kind of mad laughter in his eyes.” , “her violent and now final death-agonies, fell
heavily on her brother, pulling him to the floor” , “The light was of the full and blood-red moon which now shone vividly through that
zig zag crack in the house which I described before”, “loud shouting sound like the voice of a thousand waters, and the deep lake
below me closed sullenly and silently over the fragments of the ‘HOUSE OF USHER”.

6 Yes, I reread a few beginning passages. I wanted to compare how I felt reading the beginning not knowing and knowing what happens
in the end.
I also reread the end, because I thought it was really interesting and beautiful.
7 Definitely! I would love to read more Edgar Allan Poe's works. They are always captivating, interesting and enjoyable. He manages
to combine morbid visions with beautiful words.

8 Yes, reading always makes me feel better. I enjoy doing it, so of course it would impact my mood. The book itself was really
interesting and it just added to the joy of reading.

9 I don't think they were parts that were too surprising. I'll have to go with the part where Usher and the narrator buried Usher's sister,
and the part where she gets out of the tomb. I did, however, enjoy finally understanding that the title has a double meaning - it was the
fall of the house and it also includes the death of the last Usher. Both the family name and the house have been passed down from
generation to generation.

10 My opinion of the book did not really change while reading the book. The only thing that happened - my excitement grew. I went
into the book with an open mind, ready for anything. I had read Edgar Allan Poe´s works before and enjoyed them, this work
definitely did not disappoint. There's a high chance of me rereading the book again in the future.

11 I don't have any specific questions that I would like to ask him. I would just like to listen to him telling stories or talking about his
life. Maybe I would ask him for any tips on getting better at writing. Maybe I could ask “Did losing so many people take or add to
your fear of death?”

12 I wouldn't change the title of the book. I think it's really fitting for the book's contents. In the book we see the last of the Ushers and
their house. Both the family name and the house meet their end.

13 I think the book is underrated. I think not a lot of people read these days in general, a lot of times they just watch the screen
adaptations. A lot of times the screen adaptations tell a different story. And this is a classic. It's an old story, a lot of people prefer
 newer authors and their books. Of course there are people who enjoy classics, like me, everyone has their preferences. Even though
Edgar Allan Poe is a well-known author some of his books are unknown to the general audience. Most people probably have heard or
read his poems or “The Raven” which is a really popular work of his.

14 Not really. There wasn't any other book in my head while reading this. I suppose there are books with similar stories and themes, but I
was sucked into this story, so I did not have time to think about it.

15 Hmm… I'll definitely remember this book for at least a few months, we'll see about years. It was a truly interesting book and it has
gained a spot in my top 100 for sure. I don’t think there was a specific part that stuck with me, it was just the whole story. It was
immersive and really a fine read.

16 I would read it again. It was a nice book, i enjoyed reading it, i would love to read it again in the future. I enjoyed the themes and the
plot of this book. I think it would be interesting to read it again in a few years to see if my perspective on the book has changed, if my
thoughts on the characters have shifted, if I still can feel the same reading the whole book.

17 It’s a hard question. Easy answer - i would recommend it to everybody. But you have to take in consideration people's preferences in
reading. I wouldn't recommend it to people who usually don't read - it is not a book suited for getting into reading. Also I wouldn't
recommend this to anyone who usually reads really fast paced books. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who doesn't like horror or a
bit of crazy in the books. I would recommend this book to Edgar Allan Poe's fans or generally anyone who has read one of his works
and enjoyed it. Also maybe to people who are into classics.

18 I wouldn't say so. I feel like the book was complete. Maybe there were a few unanswered questions, but knowing the answers might
ruin the mystery. I feel like I got to know enough to understand it and to dive into the story, questions can keep us on edge and it just
adds to the reading experience.

19 Of course, there are a lot of books with similar themes and the overall story, but - yes, this book actually did strike me as original. It's
an old story and even the similar books have a different execution. Also, this is a classic. I would argue that most of the classics are
original, as they were written a long time ago and nowadays people can draw inspiration from them.
Questions on a film, serial
First response
1. How did the film make you feel?
What aspects worked well, and which didn’t (think about writing, direction, cinematography, acting, editing and
soundtrack)?
2. To what extent did it fit with your expectations, or did it subvert them in some ways?

Structure
0. What causes the major turning points in the narrative?
0. Does the world of the film work like the real world? If not, what are the differences?
0. How does the film end? Is everything resolved? How? If not, why not?

Characters
0. How would you describe the main characters? What are their goals? What problems do they face?
0. What choices do the characters make? What motivates them? What are the consequences?
0. What do the main characters learn about themselves, and how do they change? Meaning
0. Whose point of view does the camera represent?
0. How is our attention drawn to particular images? How are particular visual elements used as symbols or metaphors?
0. How does the film’s editing contribute to the meaning of the film?
0. How does the film handle the underlying themes (morality, politics, religion, sexuality, happiness, freedom, love, spirituality,
identity, etc.)?
0. Are there religious themes or connections? How is faith treated (if at all)?
Worldviews
0. What is the view of reality? Is there any place for God or other spiritual dimensions to life? Is impersonal fate used as a
substitute for God?
0. What is the view of humanity? What does the film say about the nature of human beings? What does the film say about
communities and families?
0. How is the image of God within human beings seen in this film? How is human rebellion against God expressed?
0. What is the view of knowledge? How do characters know what is true (experience, logic, intuition or revelation)? How do
they make decisions? Where do they find wisdom?
0. What is the view of morality? What does goodness mean? How do characters make moral decisions? What are the
characters’ values, and are these the same as the film’s values?
0. What do human beings most need in life? Does the film identify any universal problems confronting human beings? What do
humans need in order to flourish? What does it see as the point of life? What substitutes for God are there in the film?
0. What good insights into life are there in the film? What does it get wrong? How might it affect viewers?

Name, Surname
Title of a TV- show: The fall of the house of Usher

Questio Answer
n

1 I watched a tv-show and I loved it. The acting was great for the most part. Of course there were weird moments,but overall it was
great. They way they filmed it -amazing. This show is definitely going on my favourites list. The show itself is called “The fall of
the House of Usher” and each episode is titled by different Edgar Allan Poe's works - “A Midnight Dreary”, “The Masque of the
Red Death”, “Murder in the Rue Morgue” , “The Black Cat” , “The Tell-Tale Heart”, “Goldbug” , “The Pit and the Pendulum”,
 “The Raven”. Even though the tv show was different from the original book, i thought it was really interesting and i could still feel
Poe's essence in this. Also I think it's important to mention that each episode's title fits the theme of the episode. It is very well
thought out and it just deepens the story. I also like that it was written by a horror writer - just like Poe was a horror writer- because
it meant that the show was actually going to be with horror elements, like the story is in the book.

2 I was definitely not expecting this to be as good as it was. I was sceptical going into it, I didn't think it could do any justice to the
story, because I had seen a movie that was made after another of Poe's works and I really had not enjoyed it - it didn't work for the
book and I felt it cheapened the story. This however was amazing - sure, it went a different route, it didn't follow the plot of the
book, but it was still amazing. It took multiple complex stories and somehow managed to show it without ruining the stories. It was
really interesting to watch and I definitely don’t regret spending 8 hours watching this.

3 I feel like the biggest turning point was at the end where the Ushers' deal with a character named Verna was revealed. The whole
show Rodrick Usher is explaining to the detective working Ushers case his life and how his children died, he’s blaming himself and
at the end its clear why - he made a deal: Usher siblings got what they wanted, but near the end of Rodricks life his entire bloodline
would die with him.

4 I suppose it is set in the real world with sci-fi elements. Those elements would not work in the 21st century - maybe in a thousand
years where science is really advanced. There were some parts that are not possible, but it was in Usher’s head so we don't have to
take it as real - people can always imagine or hallucinate things. Also the deal is not possible, so i suppose if it was set in real life
his children would be alive.

.5 Roderick invited Madeline over to their childhood home, where he poisoned her drink and set to work mummifying her.It
was shortly after this that the detective arrived at the house, as per Usher's request, to hear his confession. This is the
scene which we see in the first episode. Usher tells the story ending it at killing his sister, but by the noises coming from
the basement, we can understand Madeline wasn't quite dead.As Roderick finishes his story, an eyeless and bloodied
Madeline suddenly bursts out of the basement and attacks Roderick as the house begins to crumble around them. In a final
burst of strength, Madeline strangles Roderick to death. The detective runs away from the house. This scene was like in
the book. At the last minutes of the last episode we see what happens with everything that Usher owned and what
 happened to Verna and other people that were closely involved. I think that the ending was complete - we saw the death of
Usher, we saw what happened to others and Usher’s company.
6 Rodrick Usher- the main character of the series. His character is complicated. We can see that he cares for his children, does not
care about hurting others, has killed before, is filled with guilt and I suppose is trying to end his life on a better note by confessing to
everything he has done to the detective. He faces a lot of problems which come from the things he has done in his past, he deals
with a lot of death - all of his children dying, him killing his sister, and, of course, his own death. As I understand at the end he’s
dealing badly with his own fear of death. His character is difficult to explain.

7 Usher is motivated by fear. His biggest choices that he made, that even started his downfall, were killing his former boss and
making the deal with Verna. At the end he loses his family, because of the deal, and he finally meets his end.

8 The story starts with Usher already almost dead. He himself is telling the story of his life. So at this point he has learned everything
that he could. At the end of his life we can see him drowning in his own guilt - that is why he confesses to the detective.

9 The camera represents Usher’s point of view, although he does tell us, in detail, how his children die, even though he was not there.
He explains that the children “told him” after their deaths.

10 There are horror elements that take our attention. The whole show is really filled with a lot of details and symbols, metaphors. For
example - the title of the episode will give you an idea about the episode, if you have read Edgar Allan Poe’s works; the names of
the characters, like Verna, who’s name is an anagram for Raven - which is also the title of the last episode and one of the most
popular Poe’s works. This is combined with an actual raven that we see throughout the episodes. The raven is clearly shown being
connected to Verna and it could mean that it symbolises prophecy about R. Usher’s death.

11 There are a few flashes of scenes that give the saying “my life just flashed before my eyes” an understanding. It can be used as a
metaphor for Usher remembering his life before his death, as he tells everything to the detective. Also, I think that the scenes with
the raven foreshadowed the coming of Verna.

12 We are shown Usher in his early ages “fighting”for freedom with his sister. The characters do quite a lot of immoral things, for
example - one of Usher's daughters kills her girlfriend, because she wouldn't experiment on an innocent human being. There isn't a
 lot of happiness shown in the series, only a few moments, few glimpses of the happy Usher family, but it really does not last long.
We are also shown that the characters can express themselves as they please. Sex of their sexuality isn't hidden, they freely express
themselves. For example- we can see different expressions like - just living with your partner, having a poly relationship with
co-workers, throwing an orgy party, not being interested in anything intimate. It was quite interesting to watch, and I would say that
the characters were quite diverse. They also express wanting to be free, to do what they wish. There is obvious love in the family
that sometimes gets covered in hatred, but it is still there.

13 There aren't really any religious themes. We don't really know if the characters are religious, as it is not important to the story. The
only character that has shown to have some connection to religion is Usher, because of his beliefs in the occult and psychic abilities.

14 Faith is not shown in the show, it is not important, it does not get mentioned, except for occasional “Oh, God!”, “Dear lord”, “Oh
my God!” ect. which are all just sayings and do not portray one's beliefs.

15 The TV-show is set in a reality that's really similar to ours. Without the Usher family and Verna - everybody else is just going on
with their lives just like us. I suppose the family is really important to the main character, as he takes his children in, does not push
them away, even when they all have different mothers. It comes from his own father not accepting him as his own and locking the
gates.

16 I'm not really sure that I can answer this question - I am not religious. I don't know everything that would be considered “rebellion
against God”. For me to even start thinking of an answer I would have to understand which god we are talking about, because there
are too many to count and all of them have at least small differences. And more importantly - the show does not mention religion, it
is quite irrelevant.

17 Most of the Usher family is filled with extremely smart people. They all have something that they specialise in. They rely on their
own knowledge and experience.

18 Characters in the eight episode series are just trying their best. They value success and the Usher’ s kids are certainly trying to gain
his approval and praise. They all thrive to be the best no matter what - which more than once leads to the characters making
immoral and horrible decisions. I think that the show fantastically portrays greed, fear, insanity and self-hatred. Characters have to
 deal with a lot of things which make the show interesting. With the madness, horror and different emotions shown in the characters
made them interesting to watch.

19 The TV-show concentrates on the Usher family. For them family and their own success are the most important things in life. Even
when there are arguments in the family and at first it would look that they all hate each other - which they do, but it does not lessen
the need for their family. It also shows that you need to work to get where you want - Usher did this by planned murder, his children
get investments from him only if he is convinced that their idea will work out in the future. We can also see how the characters deal
with death, which brings personal growth.

20 It showed how different people might deal with similar things, making at least some parts, for some maybe more, for others less,
relatable. It shows the painful side of life, how bad decisions lead to even worse consequences and the maybe sad, but truthful cycle
that is life and that everyone dies, even people who make deals with the supernatural.