Characteristics Of Southern Gothic Literature - 1694 Words

Jordan Cole English 1102 Professor Myszkowski 1 December 2017 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†¦show more content†¦The irony of the story is that it is under the directions of the Grandmother that leads the family into a run in with The Misfit, which is what she told her son she would never do. Throughout the trip we are given examples of the racism that was present during this period. The Grandmot her makes multiple racist innuendos such as her observation of the â€Å"cute little pickaninny,† and her statement that â€Å"little niggers in the country don’t have things like we do† (O’Conner 2). During the ride, The Grandmother convinces Bailey to take a detour down an old, dirt road which supposedly leads to an old southern plantation home she once visited. The road leads them deep into the woods where an accident is caused by The Grandmothers cat, which leaves the car upturned and the family stranded. It is then the family encounters The Misfit, whom discovers them stranded as he was passing by. He approaches the family with two young men and shortly after The Grandmother lets out a scream as she realizes him. During their encounter, the readers are given a small glimpse into the deranged mind of The Misfit. It is apparent that he has an upturned moral compass. He gains pleasure from committing crimes and the meanness that goes along with it. Duri ng his conversation with the Grandmother, he slowly has his men take members of the family outShow MoreRelatedCharacteristics Of Southern Gothic Literature1337 Words   |  6 PagesSouthern Gothic literature dates back to the 19th century, with specific elements that portrayed the society. As Woodstock, Alabama and John is put together for Brian a contemporary piece of Southern Gothic Literature is created. The audience would benefit from listening to S-town because of the many valuable lessons that are taught. Certain elements provide the strongest makeup of Southern Gothic Literature, to give readers real life relations to the topic of the story. S-town is a contemporaryRead MoreGothic Literature : The Southern Gothic Fiction1476 Words   |  6 PagesAuthors 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. â€Å"Southern Gothic is a subge nre 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 ofRead MoreUse of Gothic Literature in Tennessee Williams A Streetcar Named Desire1241 Words   |  5 PagesAuthors started using Gothic archetypes characters in the late 1800s in their southern works, generating the southern Gothic literature sub genre. Tennessee Williams was not an exception and he was one playwright and author who exemplifies in his works this style. In A streetcar named desire Tennessee Williams was able to balance macabre, enigmatic and usual cruel degeneration of his characters with exemplary poetic grace. Williams became the founder of southern Gothic style. This play by WilliamsRead MoreA Rose for Emily by William Faulkner Essay1064 Words   |  5 Pages(Faulkner 119). The voyeurism that is evident throughout the story, following the life of the main character through the perspective of her watchful community, is introduced by the very first line. In Donaldson’s essay, she explains that many classic southern gothic tales â€Å"bring attention to the spectacle of a woman† (Donaldson 2), which is precisely what any reader of â€Å"A Rose for Emily† will find. Emily Grierson is a spectacle as well as a burden to her community. She is judged based upon her appearanceRead MoreExamples Of Gothicism In The Fall Of The House Of Usher744 Words   |  3 Pageseighteenth century and early nineteenth century. Gothicism in literature is something that forces you to think beyond the preternatural line between the supernatural and natural. Gothicism exposes the unspoken and deliberately forgotten, using dark language in what we are uncomfortable discussing. The two pieces of American literature Ligeia and The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe are great examples of gothic literature. As a Gothic writer, Poe uses specific words and events which exhibitRead MoreMary Shelley and Flannery OConnor: Gothic Isolationists1724 Words   |  7 Pages Gothic fiction is a genre of literature that combines fiction, horror and Romanticism with a particular focus on the mysterious and supernatural aspects. Gothic fiction originated in England during the latter half of the 18th century. This distinctive genre of literature soon developed into a 19th century phenomenon. The success of this dominant genre in England is frequently attributed to Mary Shelley. Despite its success during this time period, gothic fiction ceased to be a dominant genre byRead MoreThe Genre of Southern Gothic in A Good Man Is Hard to Find Essay1347 Words   |  6 Pagestouch 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 g othic 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, â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† by Mary Flannery O’Connor, is often considered a perfect example of Southern gothicRead MoreA Rose for Emily731 Words   |  3 Pagesthe Gothic elements of â€Å"A Rose for Emily† Gothic can be defined as â€Å"literature dealing with the strange, mysterious, and supernatural designed to invoke suspense and terror in the reader.† (Pickering, 2004, p. 1425) Gothic literature generally presents the same themes and motifs: love lost, hidden secrets, love and death hand in hand, beauty, youth, grotesque characters, macabre eroticism, etc. Gothic literature also explores taboo subjects such as murder, suicide and incest. â€Å"A Rose forRead MoreGrotesque Characters Essay1048 Words   |  5 PagesBrittany Luckey Mr. Clements American Literature 21 March 2013 Grotesque Characters What is a grotesque character? In literature, a character or location that is irregular, extravagant or fantastic in form. When used as a device, the purpose is often in the style of expressionism, making the grotesque a parody of human qualities or a distorted reflection of a familiar place. In many ways grotesque characters have some kind of problem in society, and example would be a veteran who lost a limbRead MoreA Rose For Emily And Gothic Literature1212 Words   |  5 PagesHave 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