Southern Gothic Literature Analysis

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)."

The American Gothic Genre, which focuses on the paranormal aspects of life, began in the 1700s and is still used today. Kelly Link is the author of “The Specialist’s Hat”, and the author of many literary collections. She's received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and has co-edited a number of anthologies. She uses imagery, intimidating diction, and literary devices to convey the emotion and theme of snakes, hollowness, and death in this story.

The American Civil War is one of the most impactful course of events in American History due to the massive violence, inadequate medical care, and destruction of the southern landscape. The war, which last from 1861-1865, resulted in over 625,000 casualties on the battlefield and a large unknown number of civilian and slave deaths. Due to the horrifying conditions of battle and of grossly understaffed and unequipped field hospitals, many soldiers deserted their positions and attempted to return home; such is the story of a confederate soldier named Inman in the novel Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier. The Civil War also massively impacted the nations African-American populations as slaves were now free, however,

Small towns usually consist of people that know about everyone else’s business but their own. In the fiction novel Bone Gap by Laura Ruby, Ruby introduces the reader to the main character, Finn O’Sullivan, who everyone believes is a weird and peculiar child. Finn lives with his brother Sean and friend Roza in a small town called Bone Gap. One day Roza goes missing and given the fact that the O’Sullivan boys’ mother left them for her lover, the people of Bone Gap do not find the disappearance a surprise. Except Finn knows the truth about her disappearance. However, no one in the town, not even his brother, believes Finn’s story. The mystery unfolds as Ruby uses the different characters’ point of view on the situation. Ruby uses different aspects of literature to pull the reader in preventing

When a young author from New York City decides to take a trip to the southern city of Savannah, he finds himself falling in love with the town and ends up renting an apartment. He encounters many different characters, including Danny Hansford and Jim Williams, that gives the reader a good look into the aura of Savannah. The main conflict in the book occurs when a murder happens in an old mansion located in the town. The book follows the progression of the trial and the outcome following the court’s decision.

Brown does not rely on most of the conventions of the gothic literature. Brown does use conventions of a Gothic genre. Brown follows the topics shared in an American Gothic novel. Allan Lloyd-Smith talks about how many American Gothic writers would exchange key aspects that can be seen in a European gothic novel. For example, instead of a castle the setting of the novel will include a remote house in the country side away from most of the population. Brown does not include a great deal of the setting but uses atmosphere and suspense to inflict fear into his readers. Brown stays away from the European gothic conventions discussed in “The Gothic Novel”. Brown does not include castles, dungeon and does not place his gothic novel in the medieval

Stown is a classic piece of Southern Gothic Literature because of how it shows decay. This podcast shows multiple elements of Southern Gothic Literature, however decay really shows that this is a classic piece by taking the reader back to the old days and how things were handled differently back in the day. When people come up to John’s property they always say that it takes them back to the civil war days, how nothing has changed and that it seems like it has not changed at all, like time has paused at John’s property. Brian says that, “It takes me deep into the woods, trees arching over it, until finally I reach a clearing with an old wooden house with three chimneys that looks like it hasn't changed since the Civil War. The whole place feels like it's of another time. And it is, literally.” Even Brian says that john’s house takes him back to the Civil War days and that it is in it’s own time, how John likes to do his own stuff and not do the “norm.” Brian also says that John does not run on the same time zone as the rest of the world so his land is on a totally different time than the rest of the world. Brian explains how, “John doesn't follow daylight savings, so his property is on a time zone separate from the world around it. John likes to keep it old school and not do what other people do, that is a classic southern stereotype that is portrayed through the US. The podcast is shown as a classic piece through

Gothic literature has been criticized as being a dreary, dark, and death-involving subset of Romanticism (a literary movement accentuating human individuality, imagination, and subjectivity). In addition, gothic lit incorporates several themes- not all about deathly acts - but includes some emotional and surprising themes such as dreams, nightmares, or hallucinations, and grotesque or bizarre occurrences. Two short stories, both written by Edgar Allan Poe, entitled “The Raven,” and “The Black Cat,” as well as the novel The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern, all encompass these gothic elements, found throughout each story.

“Many commentators have since claimed that peace and good will arose not in spite of disaster, but because of it. The hunger, rain, mud, and unserviced toilets conspired to create an adversity against which people could unite and bond” (Cooke 178). Most of the fans present expressed how they felt about the war in riots and violence. “Woodstock Ventures retained its exclusive rights, but the memory of Woodstock Nation belongs to the world; it is irrevocably imbedded in American culture” (Cooke 179). Not only was the war an influence, but the gathering itself influenced the historical outcome. “The most common feeling among all parties-producers, musicians, audience, town, and nation-was the sense of history in the making. It was the largest group of people ever gathered, and the greatest roster of musicians ever assembled, and it became the defining moment of a generation” (Cooke 178).

Southern Gothic literature has rooted itself in American culture and created several classic short stories that have pushed literary boundaries and minds. Among the most influential of these Southern Gothic stories is “A Rose for Emily”, by William Faulkner; “A Good Man is Hard to Find”, and “Good Country People”, both by Flannery O’Connor. After first discussing what characteristics make up the genre of Southern Gothic, each of these stories will be evaluated and discussed in terms of what makes each of them a prime example of Southern Gothic literature.

“Woodstock is now synonymous with love, peace, and zenith of sixties hippidom, but these things came close to being known by the altogether less peaceful name of Wallkill, which is where organizers had originally planned to hold the festival until objections from other residents threatened to sink the entire project” (“Where”)

What makes a seemingly normal book a classic? Literary lenses. One of those classic books, Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds, shows the reader justice, difficult choices, and allows the reader to discover how it uses literary lenses to become a classic. By studying the novel through various literary lenses, the reader can see different perspectives which is important because it brings more depth and dimension, making Shiloh a children’s classic.

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.

The author uses the town as a symbol of the new South by utilizing the historical context, the overall thematic elements as well as the characterization of the protagonist.