In order to get over some mental issues he’s been going through, Roderick Usher writes a letter to the narrator asking him to come visit, helping him get his mind off things and simply pass time. When the narrator arrives, he notices that Usher seems sick and pale, matching the house, which is also in poor conditions. He additionally finds out that his friend has a twin sister, who is very sick.
Slide: 2
After Madeline passes away, Usher decides to preserve her body in a vault inside of the walls (one that the narrator had noticed and felt weird about since the beginning), before he could finally bury her. While helping Roderick entomb her, he notices she still has a slight smile and color on her face (a faint blush).
Slide: 3
The narrator starts to hear strange noises in the house after Madeline is buried. He feels so much horror he can’t fall asleep, and Usher can’t either, which is why he visits the narrator’s bedroom one night. They open the windows and the sky is frightening, with the clouds low and lots of fog. The narrator starts reading to him and trying to distract him in order to get him to calm down, but they both remain scared.