Family is an important theme in this story. The tale essentially documents the demise of a family name. The Ushers have been an important family: their house is huge, they are well educated, and they have servants. But they have not produced enough offspring to continue their name. Further, Roderick claims that his nervous exhaustion is hereditary. Therefore, not only is this generation unwell, but other generations have also been diseased. Poe seems to be suggesting, then, that families can pass on terrible traits--like illness and the house--as well as good ones. Beyond that, families can (intentionally or not) kill off their own kind. Roderick did not mean to harm his sister, it seems, but did so.

Soon, Madeline dies, and Roderick decides to bury her temporarily in the tombs below the house. He wants to do this because he is afraid that the doctors might dig up her body for scientific examination (since her disease was so strange to them). The narrator helps Roderick put the body in the tomb. He notes that she has rosy cheeks, as some do after death. Roderick then confides to the narrator that he and Madeline were twins. Over the next few days, Roderick becomes even more uneasy. Then, one night, the narrator cannot sleep either. Roderick knocks on his door, apparently hysterical. He leads the narrator to the window, from where they can see a bright-looking gas all around the house. The narrator explains the gas away by telling him that it is a natural phenomenon that is not altogether uncommon.

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