In the beginning of the story, we learn that Roderick was feeling physically and mentally ill and that is why he sent a letter to the narrator, his boyhood friend. Once the narrator arrives at the house, he sees that Roderick is paler than he used to be and that his senses are hightened; and also that his sister Madeline is ill of some mysterious sickness.
Over the course of days, the narrator tried to cheer Roderick writing lyrics to his songs, reading him stories, but nothing seems to work. Over the days following Madeline's death and burial, Roderick seems even more nervous and mentally unstable, until one night he knocks on the narrator's door, completely hysterical. The narrator tries to calm him by reading him another story, but when they hear some noises, Roderick finally loses his mind. He says that Madeline is the one knocking on the door, which is confirmed when the wind blows it open. Madeline attacks Roderick, who dies of fear while the narrator escapes from the House of Usher, which crumbles to the ground.
There are several possible causes for his illness, but I would focus on the mental aspect. Both Usher's seems to be two sides of the same coin: Madeline lack of physical strenght reflects Roderick inability to tell reality from fantasy. He is not afraid of a particular thing, he is afraid of fear itself, and he focalizes it on Madeline. Also, we know that Roderick has become a recluse, never leaving the house. His identity could be so intermingled wih the physical house and with his sister, that the idea of the dynasty dying is what brings the illness. The House, as the dynasty, is deteriorating so when they die, the House crumbles.
The answer is approval of conventions in three-fourths of the states.
It is a combination of factors, including new technology and the transformation of the American manufacturing economy, from producing war-related items to consumer goods at the end of World War II. By the end of the 1950s, one in six working Americans were employed either directly or indirectly in the automotive industry. The United States became the world's largest manufacturer of automobiles, and Henry Ford's goal of 30 years earlier—that any man with a good job should be able to afford an automobile—was achieved
The 1950s were pivotal for the American automobile industry. The post-World War II era brought a wide range of new technologies to the automobile consumer, and a host of problems for the independent automobile manufacturers. The industry was maturing in an era of rapid technological change; mass production and the benefits from economies of scale led to innovative designs and greater profits, but stiff competition between the automakers. By the end of the decade, the industry had reshaped itself into the Big Three, Studebaker, and AMC. The age of small independent automakers was nearly over, as most of them either consolidated or went out of business.
A number of innovations were either invented or improved sufficiently to allow for mass production during the decade: air conditioning, automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes, seat belts and arguably the most influential change in automotive history, the overhead-valve V8 engine. The horsepower race had begun, laying the foundation for the muscle car era.
Spent 4 hours every day writing stories from his garden shed.
