* Gloomy and Decaying: The house is described as "an air of intense sadness" and "a strange and desolate aspect." The narrator notes cracked walls, crumbling stones, and a general sense of dilapidation.
* Eerily Isolated: The house stands alone in a "wild and desolate landscape" with a dense, dark forest surrounding it. This isolation contributes to the sense of unease and mystery.
* Unnatural Architecture: The house is described as having a "singularly dreary" facade and a "vaguely defined and fantastic" shape. This unusual design adds to its unsettling atmosphere.
* Symbolism: The house is often interpreted as a symbol of the Usher family's declining mental and physical health. Its decay reflects the degeneration of their lineage and their descent into madness.
Here are some key quotes from the story that illustrate the narrator's description of the house:
* "I looked upon the scene before me - upon the mere house, and the simple landscape features of the domain - upon the bleak 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 which I can compare to no earthly sensation."
* "The whole front of the building, in the upper stories, was black with mildew; there was an intense black bordering the eaves, and all the lattices had yielded to the pressure of the accumulating decay."
* "There was an iciness, a sinking, suffocating stillness in the air - the world seemed to hold its breath."
Overall, the narrator's description of the house in "The Fall of the House of Usher" creates a deeply unsettling and atmospheric setting that is integral to the story's mood and themes.