The Fall of the House of Usher Group

Question:

wednesdayss
wednesdayss
Student
High School - 9th Grade

What is Roderick Usher's disorder?

Which one is it:

- antisocial personality disorder

- avoidant personality disorder

- post traumatic stress disorder

- borderline personality disorder

- major depression

- paranoid personality disorder

- acute stress disorder

- schizophrenia

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Posted by wednesdayss on Saturday May 16, 2009 at 5:53 PM and tagged with disorder, roderick, the fall of the house of usher, usher.

Answers:


  1. troutmiller Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    Roderick is constantly afraid of sounds, lights and of smells.  He is also a hypochondriac.  He thinks that his estate itself (the house) is evil.  He has been keeping his family's incest a secret all of these years, and because of that he is suffering greatly.  My guess of the above disorders, his would most likely be "acute stress disorder."  After looking up the exact definitions and symptoms of the examples you gave above, the only one that was close was this one.  It's not a personality disorder, he's not just depressed, he's not schizo and the paranoid personality seemed close, but the acute stress seemed the best fit for his peculiar situation.  I'm no doctor, but knowing Poe as I do, that's my best educated guess.  Good luck!

    Sources:
    http://psychcentral.com/disorders/sx44.htm
    http://www.enotes.com/fall-house/characters

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    Posted by troutmiller on Tuesday May 19, 2009 at 6:06 AM