Southern Gothic Literature

Gothic literature can be defined as writing that employs dark and picturesque scenery, startling and melodramatic narrative devices, and an overall atmosphere of exoticism, mystery, and dread.

In Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Possibility of Evil” the literary movement, Southern Gothicism, is expressed through certain attributes that allow an easier way to further understand the story. Southern Gothicism became popular in American literature during the slave era to show the “evil” of the south that not all people could visibly see. Jackson selects characteristics for Adela to figuratively express specific elements that are directly linked to the Southern Gothicism movement.

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)."

Have you ever realized that something has changed over time from its original definition? Well southern gothic literature is no exception, this type of literature is now known as contemporary southern gothic literature. You should listen to the paper because it talks about the gradual development of classic southern gothic literature to a more contemporary piece. Even Though many of the characteristics of classic southern gothic literature still mean the same thing, the audience catches the a few slight differences. S-town is a contemporary piece of southern gothic literature, because it contains a lot of irony, violence, and outsiders.

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.

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

“When you cross the sweeping drama of romance with the macabre isolation of small town life-and then throw in a touch of Southern whimsy-you’ve cooked up a collection of American literature absolutely unique in time, place, and sentiment, Southern gothic.” Southern gothic comes from the genre of gothic fiction, and has some type of supernatural or unusual events in it. It is characterized as having a grotesque quality yet still having enough good in it to keep readers interested. The short story, “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Mary Flannery O’Connor, is often considered a perfect example of Southern gothic writing.

Authors use morbidly dark and eccentric characters combined with southern charm and the ever-present gender divide to tell stories that represent a writing style known as southern gothic literature. “Southern Gothic is a subgenre of Gothic fiction unique to American literature that takes place exclusively in the American South. Elements of a Gothic treatment of the South were apparent in the 19th century, ante- and post-bellum, in the grotesques of Henry Clay Lewis and the de-idealized visions of Mark Twain.[3] The genre came together, however, only in the 20th century, when Dark Romanticism, Southern humour, and the new Naturalism merged into a new and powerful form of social critique.” (Wikipedia) Almost all stories told in the southern gothic genre have blemished characters that act in strange and weird manners, often told with dark, deadly humor. Set in the south, story lines are always ominous and disastrous focusing on poverty, estrangement, illegal activity and/or brutality. These writings are fraught with gender bias and typically centered on common southern themes such as the downfall of the southern upper class and the futility of the southern plantation. Southern gothic style attempts to uncover social issues specific to the south with the use of ghoulish and ironic events, disturbing and damaged characters, and grotesque themes ultimately revealing a less than desirable culture. Perverted countryside settings became the norm, with southern gothic writings

What do you think of when you hear the words Southern Gothic Literature? There are many books and authors who associate with Southern Gothic Literature. Examples, Flannery O’Connor and William Faulkner. Listen to be informed and learn about something in a new, yet old and interesting way. Violence, irony and decay make up the body and stories behind southern gothic literature. Stown is a contemporary Southern Gothic Literature, because it shows elements such as violence, irony and decay in a new and more relatable way.

Southern gothic lit is a writing genre from the south, which means that stories that are written under this format usually focus on grotesque themes. The writing usually focuses in characters that are in pain or that aren't okay. The setting of a story usually takes place in a gloomy environment and it relies on ironic or unusual events. For example in “ Desiree's baby” the writer makes it seem like the girl is the one that's not full white and it causes her pain seeing that her husband doesn't lover her or their baby because she is not full white, but in reality he's the one that's not full white, and the pain he caused her could've been prevented.

Have you ever read a story filled with horror, death, and a little romance? In literature, stories with these characteristics are classified as gothic literature. For example "A Rose For Emily" by Emily Faulkner is Southern gothic literature as the setting is specific to the south while "The Cast of Amontillado" by Edgar Allen Poe is gothic literature. In "A Rose for Emily", Emily and the community are stuck in the old ways of the South as they attempt to avoid the inevitable changes happening around them. In the end, Emily dies and the community is shocked to find her lovers body laying in her room. On the other hand, "The Cast of Amontillado" focuses on the protagonist revenge plot and death of the antagonist. An analysis of Poe 's and

The southern gothic genre of literature can be described as “plots involving violence or hidden trauma, eccentric and often psychologically troubled characters, and an atmosphere of repression and decay” (Oxford Dictionary). This dark, depressing theme found in literature is one that highlights the harsh realities that characters face in their own geographic area. It is vital for southern gothic stories to incorporate the theme of some type of external decay. In the texts Salvage the Bones and Swamplandia! we can observe the struggles and consequences of simply where the characters find their lives to be located at.

What is American Gothic Literature? American Gothic Literature is a literature that combines many aspects such as fiction, horror, death, and at times romance. Many American Gothic pieces use elements like rationality, puritanism, guilt, strangeness with the familiar (Das Unheimliche) , and the supernatural. The ideas created within these elements are strongly influenced by the past. Slavery, the fear of racial mixing, hostile Native American relations, their subsequent genocide, and the daunting wilderness present at the American frontier are strong influences on the American Gothic Literature.