Question 7 • CMS 2026-2027 English III CREDIT RECOVERY
Read the excerpt from Poe’s "The Fall of the House of Usher." I looked upon the scene before me -- upon the mere house, and the simple landscape features of the domain -- upon the blank walls -- upon the vacant eye-like windows -- upon a few rank sedges -- and upon a few white trunks of decayed trees -- with an utter depression of soul. What is the effect of parallelism in this excerpt?
Answer
A
It emphasizes the frustrating familiarity of the boyhood home.
B
It emphasizes the impressive size of the House of Usher.
C
It emphasizes the ominous feelings of the narrator.
D
It emphasizes the frenzy of activity as the narrator approaches.
Explanation
The repeated phrase “upon the” lists the bleak details the narrator sees: blank walls, vacant windows, rank sedges, and decayed trees. This parallel structure builds a steady accumulation of gloomy images and reinforces the “utter depression of soul” he feels. The excerpt emphasizes his ominous feelings, not the house’s size or activity.
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