Unveiling Linguistic Evolution and Authorial Influence: A Comparative Analysis of Syntax, Semantics, and Dialects in Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” and Stephen King’s The Shining

A Scholarly Examination of Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” and King’s “The Shining

ABSTRACT

This article intricately explores the linguistic journey within Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” and Stephen King’s The Shining, published in 1839 and 1977, respectively. Delving into syntax, semantics, and dialects, the analysis extends beyond language evolution, considering the profound influence of historical, cultural, and sociolinguistic factors on the authors. Poe’s archaic syntax reflects his 19th-century education, contrasting with King’s simplified language shaped by 20th-century America. This comparative study not only unravels linguistic shifts but also illuminates the nuanced interplay of language, culture, and authorial influence.

KEYWORDS

Linguistic Evolution, Authorial Influence, Syntax, Semantics, Dialects, Edgar Allan Poe, Stephen King, Historical Factors, Sociolinguistic Principles, Language and Culture

LINGUISTIC PRINCIPLES DEMONSTRATED IN THE TWO SELECTIONS

1.1a DESCRIPTION [TITLES, AUTHORS, DATES]

The two titles that will be used for this analysis are “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe and The Shining by Stephen King. “The Fall of The House of Usher” was first published in Burton’s Gentleman’s Magazine in 1839 and reissued in Poe’s Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque in 1840 (Bracken). In contrast, The Shining by Stephen King was published in 1977 (StephenKing.com).

1.1b INTRODUCTION

Embarking on a linguistic exploration, the pairing of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” and Stephen King’s The Shining unveils a captivating tapestry of language evolution. Rooted in New England, both authors showcase linguistic shifts across epochs. Poe’s 1839 Gothic tales embrace ornate syntax, contrasting sharply with King’s 1977 contemporary narrative.

Delving into phonology, semantics, and dialects, the linguistic journey extends to dialogues, where King ingeniously captures authentic spoken language. Exploring influences — from Poe’s early education in England to King’s immersion in the 1960s and 1970s — unravels the impact of time, culture, and experiences on language.

This linguistic odyssey encapsulates the essence of language evolution, inviting exploration into the profound interplay between words and the worlds they conjure.

1.1c RATIONALE FOR WHY THE PIECES WERE SELECTED FOR A LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS

Based on the place of birth, the first author’s native dialect would have been the Northern New England regional dialect of the American English National Language, and the second author’s native dialect would have also been the Northern New England regional dialect of the American English National English (Aschmann).

Although both authors are native to New England and share the same regional dialect and national language, more than one hundred years of linguistic change occurred between the composition and publication of “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe and The Shining by Stephen King.

This is a significant amount of time that would allow for changes in the eight major areas of linguistic study, which include morphology, syntax, semantics, etymology, sociolinguistics, dialect, philology, and word formation to be observed.

1.2 ANALYSIS OF MORPHOLOGICAL AND/OR PHONOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES

It is possible to see the use of phonology and its effects in the works of both authors. For comparative purposes, two passages in which the authors used words with multiple similar phonemes were chosen for this analysis. The first instance is from the selected title composed by Poe; in the first half of the first sentence, he closely combined words with similar phonemes.

DURING the complete of a dull, dark, and soundless day inside the autumn of the year, whilst the clouds hung oppressively low in the heavens… (Poe 2)

The repetition of the alveolar stop /d/ in the words during, dull, dark, soundless, and day, as well as the use of the liquid alveolar phonemes /l/ and /r/ in the words during, dull, dark, and the phonemes in hung /h/, /ə/, and /ŋ/ all work together allowed Poe to give a detailed while emphasizing the phonemes.

Whereas Stephen King, in a sentence from The Shining about Danny, the son of the crazed father, in which he was standing in front of Room 217, wanting to enter the room but too afraid to enter, King uses the velar stop /k/ multiple times in the sentence:

Curiosity (killed the cat; satisfaction brought him back) was like a constant fishhook in his brain…,” in the words curiosity, killed, cat, satisfaction, back, constant, and fishhook. (King 315)

This use of the phoneme seems to pull the reader back to the line “Curiosity (Killed the cat…) while creating an almost playful sense of mockery at Danny’s curiosity for Room 217. King’s repetitive use of the velar stop /k/ creates a similar effect to that which Poe used in his work, by creating a focus on the phoneme.

While Stephen King is a modern author of horror stories, it is quite certain that King studied the work of Poe, and Poe’s work influenced Stephen King’s The Shining (Buday). If “The Fall of the House of Usher” influenced Stephen King’s writing, it could explain the similarities in the repetitive use of phonemes in the analyzed sentences. Even though, the two titles were written nearly one hundred and thirty years apart.

ANALYSIS AND CRITIQUE OF LINGUISTIC PRINCIPLES

2.1 ANALYSIS FROM SEMANTIC PERSPECTIVE

A semantic shift can be seen in the word somber. The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) gives several examples of meanings that have been assigned to the word over the years. The chosen meaning appears to relate to the intended meaning of the word most closely as it is used in Poe’s title. The example refers to the attribute of natural inanimate objects as

Characterized by the appearance of gloom or shadow; depressingly dark, dusky, or obscure. (OED)

while another example references the color of an object, which the OED defines as “[o]f a dark shade or tinge; dark, dull;” both uses of the word first appeared in 1760 and 1805 respectively, which shows a semantic shift of broadening to include color in its definition.

Poe’s utilization of this word can be seen in the sentence:

[W]hile the carvings of the ceilings, the somber tapestries of the walls… (Poe 5)

in which his usage of the word could convey the impression that the tapestries are of a dark shade or appear gloomy and depressingly dark.

Another instance of semantic shift can be seen in shudder. The OED also gives several meanings for this word, such as “to have a convulsive tremor of the body caused by fear, abhorrence, or cold; hence, to tremble with horror or dread, or “to move tremulously, vibrate, quiver” (OED), which are both intransitive verb meanings that began to be used in 1350 and 1849 respectively.

Edgar Allen Poe uses this word in the sentence:

But, as I located my hand upon his shoulder, there got here a robust shudder over his whole character….(Poe 21)

In the sentence above, it seems that when the narrator touches the shoulder of Mr. Usher that Mr. Usher responds with a convulsive tremor and trembles as if he is stricken with fear as he was touched by the narrator. On the other hand, Stephen King uses the word differently in the following sentence:

Ullman threw the lever over, and for a moment there was nothing but a shuddering beneath their feet and the tortured whine of the motor below them. (King 131)

King is referencing a sensation of a vibration that can be felt in the floor caused by an old motor in the basement powering on when the level is pulled. Although, for the most part, both words had the same definitions for each author, King and Poe utilized different meanings of the words. These meanings show that the words underwent broadening in the sense that meanings were added to their definitions even though most meanings were available to both authors.

2.2 REGISTER LEVELS

At first glance, the language in Poe’s work seems quite stringent to the point it feels as if the language is archaic compared to modern uses of English: so much that it may seem to be written in the frozen or static register: however, this is not necessarily the case. One example can be seen in the sentence:

There was an wintry weather, a sinking, a sickening of the heart — an unredeemed dreariness of thought which no goading of the creativeness should torture into aught of the sublime. (Poe 2)

But Poe is not using the frozen register here; in fact, he is using the formal register as would be used between two strangers in this selection (Nichol). It is his use of proper and descriptive language that was available to him.

Stephen King, on the other hand, unlike Poe’s use of larger words, simplifies the vocabulary that he uses, creating the impression that the register used is more casual or intimate while maintaining a formal register. One example is in the opening paragraph of chapter eight, in which King writes:

Mommy was worried. She was afraid the bug wouldn’t make it up and down all these mountains… (King 85)

One aspect that lends itself to the more casual nature of this sentence is that the narrator is the young son of the family in the story, which would make sense, that although the register is formal, it is written to sound casual.

King also goes on to use the consultative register in a piece of dialogue between the son and mother:

What’s that one, Mom?” “That one says SLOWER VEHICLES USE RIGHT LANE. That means us. (King 86)

This dialogue between a mother and her son is comparable to a conversation between a teacher and student (Nichol). Lastly, King uses a mix of the intimate and casual registers in the dialogue between Danny (the son) and his parents:

“I’m okay, Daddy. I’m fine.” “What was it, Danny?” she asked. “Were you dizzy, honey?” “No, I was just … thinking. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. (King 90)

This is characterized by the use of the words daddy and honey respectively in the dialogue.

2.3 DIALECTS

The areas from which the authors were born are geographically close in proximity. Poe was born in Boston, MA, in 1809, and his dialect would have been the eastern New England Dialect; His mother was from England and his father from Baltimore, MD, but would die in 1811 in Richmond, VA, where he would move in with his presumed godfather and live there until 1815 when he would move to what is now the UK and receive a classical education in England and Scotland until 1820, then returned to Richmond to attend university, and later moving across the northeastern U.S. to Boston, Baltimore, New York, and back to Richmond, before passing away in Baltimore (Mabbot). It appears that his accent would have been heavily influenced by dialects that contain an R-dropping trait.

Both the Boston Urban dialect, which is similar to the New England dialect and the Virginia Piedmont dialect replace the final /r/ with an equivalent of an /ɑ/ or a /ə/ sound, respectively (Delaney). So, Poe, most probably, would have pronounced the word remembers as /riˈmɛmbəs/ or the word park as /pɑk/.

Stephen King was born in Portland, ME, and his dialect would also be the eastern New England dialect; moved between Fort Wayne, IN, and Stratford, CT, during his early childhood, after his father abandoned his family, before moving back to Durham, ME, at the age of eleven (King). His accent would have been heavily influenced by the New England Dialect, which, as stated previously, drops the final phoneme /r/ in favor of /ɑ/ or by adding an /r/ at the end of a word with a vowel as the final syllable, as well as the North Midland Dialects (Delaney).

Neither Poe nor King appear to write in their dialects. This could be explained by the fact that both authors spent portions of their lives in different regions, leading to both authors using a neutral dialect in their writing.

2.4 STYLISTICS ELEMENTS

From a stylistics perspective, Poe used metaphors and similes sparingly in his story “The Fall of the House of Usher” he utilized these devices more so toward the beginning and end of the story — for example, the metaphor “vacant eye-like windows,” is used when he describes the House of Usher early on in the story giving the house an almost human quality, while he uses the simile, “there was a long a tumultuous shouting sound like the voice of a thousand waters…” (Poe 2, 24), which illustrates the loudness of the sound that was being heard.

Otherwise, Poe uses very direct, descriptive language that stems from his generous vocabulary, which is straightforward and to the point, which can cause difficulties for readers who lack as large of a vocabulary as Poe but creates vivid imagery if the text can be understood by the reader.

On the other hand, King’s language is just as direct as the language Poe uses, with the exception that he uses simpler words than Poe’s — for example, “I am going to bed” instead of “I shall betake myself to bed.”

King relies more heavily on similes in The Shinning, to describe more events and details more precise and convey more imagery in his writing, and they are scattered throughout the book, such as “[a]nd rich, dark laughter issued from his chest, rolling around in the car like cannonfire,” in describing Hallorann’s laughter, or “It went like a Nolan Ryan fastball with a little extra on it,” when talking about Danny (the son) sending his thoughts to Hallorann through telepathy (King 117).

2.5 CRITIQUE OF STANDARD/NONSTANDARD ALIGNMENT WITH LINGUISTIC PRINCIPLES

Both authors use standard, prescriptive grammar in their writing; however, King deviates from this in his dialogues. In his title, he uses devices such as slang, clitics, and the shortening of words to replicate spoken language, which creates dialogue between the characters that feel as if the conversations belong to the casual or intimate registers.

For example, “You never mind her,’ he said. ‘And don’t go askin your mom, either. You’d only upset her, dig what I’m sayin,” or “Give me a blast. Think at me. I want to know if you got as much as I think you do (King 115).” Although these techniques are used in his writing, they are merely used to simulate a spoken conversation. King’s use of these stylistic and grammar choices allow him to create a believable conversation between his characters by demonstrating the difference in dialect and social groups of the characters in The Shining.

ANALYSIS AND CRITIQUE OF INFLUENCES ON USE OF LANGUAGE

3.1 CHANGES:

Based on the dates of birth and publication of King and Poe, it is apparent that the authors composed their works during the time of present or modern English: however, being composed one hundred and thirty-eight years apart (Poe 1839, and King 1977), there are significant changes in the authors’ use of the English language with Poe using language that appears more archaic, stiff, and flowery while King uses more simplified language. Some modern authors may also use such language to replicate what is seen in Poe’s work to replicate language from this period.

One example of Poe’s use of language can be seen in the following sentences:

The storm became nevertheless overseas in all its wrath as I determined myself crossing the vintage causeway. Suddenly there shot along the path a wild light, and I turned to peer whence a gleam so unusual should have issued; for the great residence and its shadows were alone in the back of me. (Poe 24)

This use of language may be understood by some modern speakers of English; however, it can be seen as an archaic and challenging passage to read and understand by other modern speakers of English; this level of difficulty and challenge in reading the passage could have also been experienced by speakers of present-day English in 1977 because some of the vocabulary used may have been readily understood by that audience, it would also be possible that readers today could have trouble reading and understanding the passage today. That is, reading it without a decent dictionary because the story was not written for the 1977 audience.

An example of a translation for contemporary English speakers in 1977 could be as follows:

The storm grew stronger as I ran down the path away from the house. It was an angry and vicious storm, like a hurricane over open water. Then suddenly, a bright flash of light lit up the sky. And I turned to look back at that horrid house. It was a lonely sight. The house had nothing but shadows to keep it company.

As English further developed from the time of Poe’s work to 1977, a simplification of choice of phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics can be seen; this is a notable change when comparing Poe’s story with King’s. Simplifying the passage helps the reader to more easily understand the intended meaning of the passage without the use of a dictionary. Therefore, when revising the original text, similar choices were made in order to simplify the language used and to make it more easily understood by modern speakers because of the notable change in preference for a simplified form of the language.

3.2 INTENDED MESSAGE: IDENTIFY THE CHANGES IN LANGUAGE YOU HAD TO MAKE

The intended message for the original audience was not altered in its entirety. The revision was created by using synonyms for some of the words in the original text; however, the synonyms may or may not have a close enough connotation; it is the denotation of the chosen words that gives the revision a similar intended meaning because the connotations vary, and to avoid imposing any undue connotation onto the intended meaning the denotations were chosen.

By simplifying the passage to align with usage that reflects that of the text from 1977, it is possible to retain the intended message imposed in the original text. Readers in 1839 and 1977 would both be able to understand that the character, who is the narrator, is running out of the house down a pathway during a severe storm and that the character looked back to see the house alone with nothing but its shadows to remain with it. However, the revised text loses the stricter, more archaic nature of the original text while maintaining the denotations of the words chosen by Poe.

3.3 RECOMMENDATIONS: HOW THE CHANGES ADJUST FOR THE SECOND AUDIENCE

Poe’s short story was written using standard American English; however, it is formal in its use of language and linguistic principles, whereas King uses language and linguistic principles that are far less formal compared to that of Poe. To create a revision that would be more appropriate for the audience during King’s time, replacing the more archaic, formal words with words that are more modern was needed.

For example, replacing the archaic phrases, “The storm became nevertheless overseas in all its wrath as I determined myself crossing the vintage causeway,” “I turned to peer whence a gleam so unusual should have issued,” and “in the back of me” for modern versions of the same meaning is needed (Poe 24).

This allows the 1977 audience to better understand the passage and allows them to understand the intended meaning that was created for the original audience. But in doing so, the piece does lose the features that gave it its sense of grandiosity, darkness, and melancholic feel of the original.

3.4 CONTRAST OF LANGUAGE ELEMENTS DUE TO THE DIFFERENT TIME PERIODS

Poe composed and published his work during the earlier half of the 1800s in American standard English; however, his education largely took place in England with his college years in the state of Virginia he would have written his poems and stories for adults who were well educated, meaning that he likely wrote his work for adults who attended college.

This can be seen not only in his story for this analysis but in his other stories and poems. However, this would explain his use of semantics and syntax which seems appropriate for educated adults who had attended college his use of language does reflect the prescriptive rules of the time, shown in his use of formal language such as using longer sentences and paragraphs, and proper punctuation.

On the other hand, King appears to have written his title for the average person; this could be a person who has not completed college or is still in high school. can be seen in his use of smaller, simpler words and syntactical choices throughout his story, along with his other stories; in his work, he follows the prescriptive rules of the time by using shorter sentences with short, more impactful words.

3.5 POSSIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL, HISTORICAL & CULTURAL FACTORS OF THE TIME PERIODS

There are multiple factors, such as historical, cultural, and environmental, that would have influenced both authors. For example, Poe received his education in England during the early 1800s, which was during the Georgian era (1714–1837 (English Heritage), and his family members spoke early modern English, which is around the time English transitioned to present-day English at around the year 1800 (Denham 367).

Therefore, it is reasonable to point out the fact that his language could have been influenced by the English of this era and the early-modern English that his family would have spoken. This is reflected in not only the title chosen for this analysis but in his other works as well.

However, King would have been influenced by his education in the United States and the historical events during his childhood and the years leading to his early adulthood. He experienced the aftermath of the Vietnam War, Rev. Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Had a Dream” speech, the Kennedy assignation, and the civil rights movements of the 1960s (Owens).

He also wrote his story during the times of modernism and postmodernism, which can be characterized by a movement away from the more Victorian-era writing and style of such writers as Mark Twain and William Gilmore Simms, and a focus on real-life issues (History.com Editors, VictorianEra.com). In the chosen title, it appears that these sociolinguistic and historical factors had an impact on his choice of linguistic usage.

3.6 INFLUENCES OF THESE FACTORS ON THE LANGUAGE USAGE IN THE TWO SELECTIONS

The influences of receiving an education in England during the early 1800s and having family members who would have probably spoken early modern English could explain Poe’s use of vocabulary and syntax that could be seen as archaic and grandiose for an audience in 1977. These influences certainly allowed Poe to compose such powerfully written, dark, gothic works.

His writing reflects the time it was written and the level of education the author received during his lifetime. It is an intriguing question to ask how Poe would have written if he had not been born during the early 1800s and received a portion of his early education in England. It is possible to think that his stories and poems might not be as prolific as they are without the historical, cultural, and environmental influences that impacted his way of thinking and writing. Without question, these influences allowed him to create great works that were aimed at other well-educated adults of the time.

On the other hand, considering the factors that influenced King, we can see that the same types of factors impacted his use of language in his work. King wrote his story for the average person, and it appears that he followed some of the principles used in modernism and postmodernism by focusing on real-world issues disguised behind the mask of fiction. Poe also did this in his work that was chosen for this analysis, to the point of reading as if it were true and not a piece of fiction. However, the novel’s subject matter appears to reflect the fears and horrors of everyday people, and his family and education were that of the average American at the time, which influenced him to write and use the language he chose.

It is evident that both authors had multiple factors that influenced their use of language, their intended audiences, and how they chose to apply linguistic principles to their work to make their messages clear to their audiences. Poe could have chosen to use overly simplified language at the time, and King would have chosen to use rigid and archaic semantical and syntactical choices. However, such decisions may not have been appropriate for their intended audience, respective to the times in which the titles were written. But the factors that influenced them allowed both authors to produce pieces that were neither too complicated nor too simple for the reader.

CONCLUSION

Exploring Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” and Stephen King’s “The Shining” reveals a dynamic linguistic journey. Rooted in New England, Poe’s 1839 Gothic tales contrast sharply with King’s 1977 contemporary narrative, showcasing linguistic shifts in syntax, phonology, and semantics. The analysis highlights their masterful use of phonemes for emphasis, semantic shifts in words like “somber” and “shudder,” and the distinct register levels employed. Both authors, sharing the Eastern New England dialect, craft unique narrative voices through stylistic choices. Poe’s sparing use of metaphors and King’s abundance of similes reflect their individual approaches to storytelling.

Critiquing standard/nonstandard alignment, King deviates in dialogues, enhancing character dynamics with colloquial language. Additionally, analyzing the influences on language usage unveils how historical, cultural, and environmental factors shape their linguistic choices. Poe’s archaic syntax echoes his early 19th-century education, while King’s simplified yet impactful language reflects his experiences in 20th-century America.

Considering language changes over time, Poe’s archaic language contrasts with King’s simplified approach, emphasizing clarity for evolving audiences. The question arises: How would their linguistic choices differ in each other’s time? This exploration unravels not just the linguistic evolution within two masterpieces but the intricate interplay of language, culture, and time.

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