The Intriguing Secrets Behind The Symbolic Colors in The Fall Of The House Of Usher
Color symbolism in Edgar Allan Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher is expertly explored, with each character representing a specific color: Prospero Usher (Red), Camille L'Espanaye (White), Napoleon Usher (Yellow), Victorine Lafourcade (Orange), Tamerlane Usher (Green), Frederick Usher (Blue), and Lenore Usher (Black)
WARNING! This article contains spoilers for The Fall of the House of Usher episode 8!
Summary
In The Fall of the House of Usher, color is used to symbolize the unique traits and narratives of Roderick Usher's descendants.
The show's color symbolism draws inspiration from Edgar Allan Poe's use of color in his short story The Masque of the Red Death. In Mike Flanagan's The Fall of the House of Usher, color is skillfully employed to emphasize the distinct traits and narratives of each member of the Usher family. Flanagan continues his masterful use of symbolism from Poe's works in this Netflix miniseries, assigning a representative color to each character, effectively weaving their arcs and personalities together. Notably, the color symbolism in this critically acclaimed show aligns with Poe's use of color in The Masque of the Red Death, which served as one of its sources of inspiration.
In The Masque of the Red Death, Poe skillfully portrays an extravagant masquerade ball where guests seek refuge from the plague. Throughout Edgar Allan Poe's story, seven distinct rooms are illuminated by different colors, representing various stages of life. The choice of color not only sets the overall mood of the narrative, but also adds depth to Prince Prospero's journey. Just as the characters in The Fall of the House of Usher, who are descendants of Roderick Usher, ultimately meet their demise, the specific color assigned to each individual similarly serves to accentuate and symbolize their individual story.
Prospero Usher: Red
Prospero "Perry" Usher, the youngest illegitimate child of Roderick, is the first Usher to meet his demise before the conclusion of The Fall of the House of Usher. Known for his carefree nature, Perry indulges in his family's riches and plans to use his business fund to establish a series of exclusive nightclubs. Determined to prove his family wrong, Perry organizes his own rave to generate significant profits, despite lacking their support. Throughout the episode, Perry consistently appears in red attire, illuminated by a red light.
The color red symbolizes Perry's audacious and passionate nature, while also representing the lust and desire in the orgy he orchestrates. An often discussed theory regarding The Fall of the House of Usher implies that each Usher family member embodies one of the Seven Deadly Sins, with Perry aptly embodying lust. Moreover, red is associated with fire and blood, which aligns with the horrifying incident involving the sprinklers, resulting in the partygoers' flesh disintegrating. Notably, the episode is titled "The Masque of the Red Death," and showcases Verna wearing a red cape and conversing with Perry in a crimson room, further emphasizing the significance of the color.
Camille L'Espanaye: White
Camille L'Espanaye, daughter of Roderick and the head of PR for the Usher family, skillfully turns any negative stories about the family into positive ones. However, she maintains a cold demeanor and exploits her assistants until her demise in Episode 3 of The Fall of the House of Usher. Camille leads a solitary existence, devoid of personal relationships beyond her family and job.
Her hair, car, and attire are all white, symbolizing the colorless and sterile nature of her life. This choice of color also represents her emotional detachment, as she rejects any yearning for genuine connections. Like white's ability to reflect other colors, Camille serves as a mirror, reflecting her family's misdeeds through her PR firm.
Napoleon Usher: Yellow
Napoleon "Leo" Usher, an illegitimate child of Roderick, pursues a career as a video game developer. Alongside his drug addiction, Leo's House of Usher narrative delves into themes of unfaithfulness, dishonesty, and corruption. Although it is later revealed that the supposed act of Leo killing his partner's cat was merely an illusion created by Carla Gugino's character, Verna, Leo's true character is exposed through his continuous lies to Julius. The color yellow, often associated with deceit, is an important symbol as it reflects Leo's infidelity towards Julius, demonstrated by his concealment of a woman on his balcony upon his return home.
Additionally, the significance of yellow underscores Leo's desperate efforts to conceal his wrongdoing, especially when he searches for a cat resembling the one he supposedly killed. During Verna's confrontation with Leo, a sepia tone highlights his intricate web of lies and misdeeds. In the final moments of the episode, Leo's lifeless body lies on the pavement below his balcony after accidentally falling. A yellow sports car stands as a backdrop, reinforcing Leo's cowardly and deceitful nature.
Victorine Lafourcade: Orange
Victorine Lafourcade, the illegitimate daughter of Roderick, who works as a scientist specializing in experimenting on chimpanzees to enhance her heart-pumping device, holds the position as the third child. Nevertheless, her methods are not always morally sound, as she administers adenine injections to sustain the primates' lives. In her office, one will often find her adorned in varying shades of orange, accompanied by towering bookcases in the same vibrant hue. The color orange serves as a representation of her unwavering determination to propel her medical device into human trials. Moreover, it signifies her audacious pursuit in locating a suitable candidate for the surgical procedure, while simultaneously asserting that her partner, Dr. Alessandra Ruiz, will carry out the operation. Consequently, the color orange also conveys elements of pride and arrogance, which are qualities deeply ingrained within Victorine's persona.
Tamerlane Usher: Green
Tamerlane Usher, the second child of Roderick and his first wife Annabel Lee, yearns for her individuality outside of the family unit. This aspiration drives her and her spouse Bill to establish their own health venture named Goldbug. In the sixth installment of The Fall of the House of Usher, Tamerlane prominently displays the color green in the lighting and her attire. This green representation signifies her envy towards an unattainable existence, compelling her to engage sex workers in order to experience the essence of a loving marital bond.
Frederick Usher: Blue
She is dissatisfied with her inability to form genuine connections by opening up, which leads to her feeling jealous of those who can. In a rare moment of vulnerability, she confides in Bill, only to have him leave before she finishes speaking, leaving his key on the counter. The final moments of Tamerlane are depicted with a green hue, symbolizing Verna's emphasis on his lack of self-worth and her envy.
Frederick Usher, Roderick's eldest son, is designated as the heir to Fortunato. However, he is often regarded as the least capable and least mature member of the family. Instead of devoting himself to his responsibilities or establishing a bond with his daughter, Lenore, he opts to spend his time indulging in his personal bowling alley. Moreover, Frederick battles with a drug addiction, worsened by the successive deaths of his siblings. Symbolically, the color blue pervades his attire and illuminates the scene during his demise, representing his emotional vulnerability. As Frederick delves deeper into uncovering his wife's motives for attending Perry's rave, his descent into unraveling her truths leads him to subject her to various forms of torment.
It also signifies a sense of coldness, which is evident in his relationship with his daughter. However, in Poe's short story The Masque of the Red Death, the color blue represents birth, and since Frederick is the first child, it becomes intertwined with the story's symbolism. Due to Frederick's father's absence and his constant scolding during his childhood playtime, he experiences a profound sense of loneliness in his home life, thereby further emphasizing the significance of the color blue.
Lenore Usher: Black
Lenore Usher, Roderick's granddaughter, sets herself apart from her father, aunts, and uncles through her compassionate and pure nature, which contrasts with the prevailing cruelty associated with being an Usher. Lenore is often seen dressed in black attire, and the room where she meets her demise is adorned with black paint and adorned with white roses on the wall. Even the headboard and blankets in the room are of the same dark hue. The color black here symbolizes profound sorrow, as Lenore is surrounded by tragic circumstances, enduring the loss of her Usher relatives and shielding her hospitalized mother from her father's toxic influence.
Verna fears killing Lenore because Lenore is different from the rest of her family. The color black symbolizes mourning and grief, emphasizing that Verna mourns only for Lenore's death. Significantly, black is also associated with death in Edgar Allan Poe's short story The Masque of the Red Death, where it represents the final room. The presence of black surrounding Lenore's demise in The Fall of the House of Usher indicates that Roderick's time is ending and the raven will ultimately claim him.
