What Moves the Dead

Examine the use of personification and anthropomorphism in What Moves the Dead. Which elements of the text are humanized? How does this stylistic choice impact the tone, meaning, and plot of the story?

Analyze James Denton’s characterization. How does he know the Ushers, and why does he stay with the Ushers even though he knows that he cannot help Madeline? Explain the moral implications of his decision to help Roderick kill Madeline when the true nature of her malady is discovered.

What Moves the Dead is a modern retelling of Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher.” With that in mind, how does the author engage with The Reinterpretation of Classic Literature? Using external sources, explore the growing popularity of reinterpreting classic literature to render its ideas more inclusive.

Compare and contrast Easton and Denton, focusing on their respective military experiences, their philosophical mindsets, and their emotions and behaviors. Why do they stay and help the Ushers despite the risks to their own safety?

Analyze the moral implications of destroying the sentient fungus. Does Easton have any reservations about killing it? Why or why not? What are the implications involved in destroying a sentient species?

Analyze Kingfisher’s extensive use of foreshadowing. How does the author leverage suggestive physical descriptions to deliver increasingly intense hints about the true nature of the fungus and its ultimate goals? What secondary characters and scenes exist solely for the purpose of foreshadowing the novel’s climactic moments?

Describe Eugenia Potter’s role in the text. What abstract ideas does she represent, and how does her recurring presence advance the plot and impact the themes?

Analyze the ambiguous ending of the story. Do the novel’s final descriptions lean toward a recurrence of the fungus or the certainty that it has been successfully destroyed? Incorporate specific examples from the text to support your interpretation.