Imagery of the Supernatural in "The Fall of the House of Usher" Edgar Allan Poe's writings are known for their macabre subject matter. In "The Fall of the House of Usher", Poe uses the life-like characteristics of an otherwise decaying house as a device for giving the house a supernatural atmosphere. Frank N. Magill explains this concept best when he writes, "Usher feels that it is the form and substance of his family mansion that affects his morale. He believes that, as a result of the arrangement of the stones, the house has taken on life" (1645). From the very beginning of the story, the reader can tell that ther