Gothic Literature : Gothic Writing

In the 19th century, the Southern Gothic genre quickly became popular after Edgar Allen Poe poems in the 18th century. Most writings were formed around the Civil War era, which plays an enormous part in the tone and setting in Southern Gothic writing styles. (O’Connell 63) Southern Gothic writing elements consist of “horror, romance and psychological and domestic dramas” (63). The setting of Southern Gothic was always dingy and dark which explains the tone of most southern states at this time. Southern Gothic writing styles were known to be grotesque, violent and gloomy with dark psychological twists that were to be carried on into the 20th century. There can also be other ways to exercise Southern Gothic styles like including strange events, paranormal elements and representing history in an almost comical approach. (63) There are some authors who have written very influential Southern Gothic style literature, such as A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner, A Good Man is Hard to Find and Good Country People by Flannery O’Conner.

Southern Gothic literature, which is a sub-genre of the Gothic writing style, is unique to the American South. Southern Gothic literature has many of the same aspects as Gothic literature; it focuses on topics such as death, madness, and the super natural as well has having many mystical, bizarre, violent, and grotesque aspects. These tools are used "to explore social issues and reveal the cultural character of the American South (Wikipedia)."

Gothic literature was a popular writing tradition of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and is still used today. Gothic literature explores the wicked, perverse and dark desires. Gothic conventions can include burial alive, ghosts, hysteria, ruined bodies, tales within tales, undead characters, underground spaces, and more. Gothic themes are guilt, sex, violence, death, and cosmic struggle. Gothic stories or poems should inspire terror or horror. Edgar Allen Poe was one of the many well-known Gothic writers. In his stories he uses a variety of themes to carry out the gothic theme.

Consolidate that with a southern setting and we understand that it's not quite Gothic, but rather Southern Gothic. The Southern Gothic kind concentrations – now and again inconspicuously, now and again clearly – on servitude, or the fallout of subjugation in the South. You can see this in "A Rose for Emily."

William Faulkner some would say was one of the great writers of American literature during the twentieth century. His stories many times had a gothic plot and contained odd or supernatural ideas and characters. He had many notable works, two of which were “A Rose for Emily” and “Barn Burning”. “A Rose for Emily” and “Barn Burning” are similar in the way that William Faulkner portrays the characters and the tone he uses in both.

Sneha Patel Prof. Wilkins American Literature 19 November, 2015 Faulkner’s Use of Modernism and Southern Gothic William Faulkner is a brilliant writer who utilizes a unique style of writing by merging Modern and Southern Gothic themes. Faulkner manages to use both genres in one piece of writing. Most authors, like Flannery O’Connor, manage to incorporate only one genre into their writing. Faulkner even goes to the extent of using Southern Gothic themes to explain Modern themes.

Southern gothic is a type of literature that focuses on the harsh conflicts of violence and racism, which is observed in the perspective of black and white individuals. Some of the most familiar southern authors are William Faulkner, Flannery O’Connor, and Cormac McCarthy. One author in particular, Flannery O’Connor, is a remarkable author, who directly reflects upon southern grotesque within her two short stories, “A Good Man is Hard to Find” and “Revelation.” These two short stories are very similar to each other, which is why I believe that O’Connor often writes with violent characters to expose real violence in the world while tying them in with a particular spiritual insight.

The southern gothic sub-genre is a rather simple topic. Mostly the topic is straight to the point, and does not require lots of consideration to identify the genre. Southern gothic books and stories usually follow one guideline loosely. Some examples of stories that relate to the southern gothic sub-genre are “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst, and “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe. Gothic stories are full of doom and gloom for a reason, that will later be explained. What makes a southern gothic different from a gothic is the setting, As the name implies, a southern gothic takes place in the south, whereas a gothic can take place anywhere, making southern gothic a sub-genre.

Southern gothic literature underscores the unpleasant aspects of southern culture. These issues are exposed through grotesque characters, including those who are physically deformed, mentally deficient, or deeply flawed. Many of the characters struggle to make sense of the surrounding world and find a place in society. Southern gothic authors are iconoclasts, criticizing southern culture and revealing the anti-social idiosyncrasies of humanity, especially in the face of difficulty. Among these authors is William Faulkner, who is often recognized for his exceptional southern gothic style.

Southern Gothic literature is a sub-genre of the Gothic writing style. It is unique to Southern America. Southern gothic style is a style of writing that engages very ugly and ironic events to study the value of the American south and its people. In this essay, I’m going to go over each story and give some details about the authors and their backgrounds. On one page, I will be comparing and contrasting all three stories. I will show how they’re similar through tone, plot, and scene in the story. And at the end, I am going to describe the three stories; “A Rose for Emilycomma inside quotes”, “A Good Man is Hard to Find”, and “Sanctuary”. Period inside quotes All of these short stories are good examples of southern gothic writing, because

Southern Gothic literature has been a popular literary genre since the early 19th century and that popularity continues today. Southern Gothic cannot be defined in one sentence, as it has

Southern gothic literature is partly inspired by gothic literature. Southern gothic literature is a southern genre where the story is focused around gruesome or dreary ideas. The characters are also normally damaged, delusional or mentally ill. In the two short stories, “A Rose for Emily” and “A Good Man is Hard to Find” both have elements of southern gothic literature.

Throughout the course of history, literature has gone through considerable changes. Dating back to its humble beginnings in folklore, fables, and storytelling all the way up to the scientific books and dramatic novels of today. Literature is arguably the centerpiece of all mankind. It is useful for record keeping, education, and bringing cultures and societies together. It has allowed us to expand our minds by painting a picture of the beautiful places this world has to offer outside of our corners of the earth. One genre of literature I find especially intriguing is Southern Gothic Literature. It is a subclass of gothic fiction, specifically set

The gothic literary movement is a part of the larger Romantic Movement. Gothic literature shares many of the traits of romanticism, such as the emphasis on emotions and the imagination. Gothic literature goes beyond the melancholy evident in most romantic works, however, and enters into the areas of horror and decay, becoming preoccupied with death. “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe is a powerful example of gothic fiction, whereas James Fenimore Cooper’s The Last of the Mohicans serves as the romantic predecessor, illustrating the differences and the similarities between romantic and gothic literature.

First, to begin by discussing what Southern Gothic is. “Southern Gothic is a mode or genre prevalent in literature from the early 19th century to this day. Characteristics of Southern Gothic include the presence of irrational, horrific, and transgressive thoughts, desires, and impulses; grotesque characters; dark, humor, and overall angst-ridden sense of alliteration” (Bjerre). Faulkner is widely known for his grotesque descriptions of Yoknapatawpha County and character description.