Rodrick Usher Character Analysis "The fall of the house of usher" September 2023 Roderick Usher is a fictional character in the short story "The Fall of the House of Usher." The story was first published in 1839 and has become a classic of American/European Gothic literature. Roderick Usher the main character in the tale. Roderick Usher is portrayed as an extremely isolated and disturbed character. He lives in a decaying, ancient mansion that holds his family names legacy, this isolation has contributed to his deep sense of despair and unease, causing him to fall ill. Roderick suffers from a variety of physical and psychological torments including sensitivity to sensory stimuli like light, sound, and even touch. Rather than adapting to his sensory issues, Roderick Usher's response is to go further into his own world. Roderick's obsession with his own deteriorating health and the unstoppable doom of the Usher family name is His paranoia contribute to his ...