Why are stories about the realms of darkness popular with many people?

Explain why stories and poems about the realms of darkness are popular with many readers. Support your explanation with at least three examples from The Fall of the House of Usher. Please help I'm not very good at this stuff and if I don't improve my grades I'm not gonna be allowed to see my boyfriend (even though he helps me study). It's not my fault I can't understand this, I'm good at things like science and math.Why are stories about the realms of darkness popular with many people?
I think humans have been fascinated with darkness since we first became aware of the world around us. Darkness had always been associated with danger (the risk of becoming prey), esp. before the use of fire! Imagine those lonely, pitch-black nights on the savannah or near it, millions of years ago!



Once humans began getting self-awareness and recognized violence in themselves, I think they developed the concept of "evil", that just as some things were "good" in nature and in themselves, some things, such as darkness, which meant the unknown, could be "bad" or at least frightening. I think this is how the idea of demons and monsters arose.



Humans have long recognized their dual nature, as both creative and destructive, and probably wondered what caused disease and especially illnesses like seizures or schizophrenia. They came to think of humanity as having a "Dark side".



In the book "The Dark Half", by Stephen King, a writer who decides only to stick to serious books and give up the slasher novels that sell, has serious problems when his main character comes to life and starts killing people. This, the author says, is his "dark half".



In Greek and other mythology, there is a common theme of the hero entering the "underworld". For Beowulf, it's when he chases the monster Grendel into his lair. For Orpheus, it is when he follows his love, Eurydice into Hades. Here, the heroes must confront their own "dark sides" to survive.



Still other authors, like H.P. Lovecraft, regarded "realms of darkness" as both part of the human mind, but connected to other, older worlds that were evil and trying to take over, as in "The Dunwich Horror". Humans are often pitted against other creatures, either alien or monstrous, as they enter dark places.



Sorry I don't remember "The Fall of the House of Usher" very well--I didn't like it. But one thing I DO remember from that is the idea of claustrophobia, of being hemmed in or captured by the dark. Also, the idea of something decaying, as the house comes apart--a symbol of madness perhaps?