Southern GothicSouthern Gothic

LiteratureLiterature

BackgroundBackground

Sub-genre of the Gothic style Popular in Europe in 1800s

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Dracula by Bram Stoker

Unique to American literature relies on supernatural, ironic, or unusual events to guide the plot

explores and reveals social issues concerning the cultural character of the American South.

Sub-genre of the Gothic style Popular in Europe in 1800s

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Dracula by Bram Stoker

Unique to American literature relies on supernatural, ironic, or unusual events to guide the plot

explores and reveals social issues concerning the cultural character of the American South.

BackgroundBackground Takes classic Gothic archetypes, such as the monster

or the heroic knight, and turns them into American Southerners

Dark twist on Southern characters Southern belle as town tramp Righteous preacher as pedophile

“grotesque” a character whose negative

qualities highlight unpleasant aspects in southern culture.

Something in the town, the house, the farm is bizarre and often falling apart

Takes classic Gothic archetypes, such as the monster or the heroic knight, and turns them into American Southerners

Dark twist on Southern characters Southern belle as town tramp Righteous preacher as pedophile

“grotesque” a character whose negative

qualities highlight unpleasant aspects in southern culture.

Something in the town, the house, the farm is bizarre and often falling apart

Defining FeatureDefining Feature Cast of ‘off-kilter’ characters

Broken bodies, minds, or souls

symbolize problems created by the established pattern

question established pattern’s morality and ethical justification

“Innocent” that acts as a redeemer for others

Cast of ‘off-kilter’ characters

Broken bodies, minds, or souls

symbolize problems created by the established pattern

question established pattern’s morality and ethical justification

“Innocent” that acts as a redeemer for others

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Other Specific FeaturesOther Specific Features

Freakishness

Outsider

Imprisonment

Violence

Sense of Place

Freakishness

Outsider

Imprisonment

Violence

Sense of Place

FreakishnessFreakishness character negatively set apart from the world by a

disability or oddity Skewed world view

character negatively set apart from the world by a disability or oddity

Skewed world view

OutsiderOutsider

characters set apart from the established cultural pattern, but end up being heroes

difference allows enlightened perspective that ultimately helps to bring people out of the “dark.”

characters set apart from the established cultural pattern, but end up being heroes

difference allows enlightened perspective that ultimately helps to bring people out of the “dark.”

ImprisonmentImprisonment

Both literal and figurative

Often includes incident where a character is sent to jail or imprisoned

Some characters live in fate's prison.

Both literal and figurative

Often includes incident where a character is sent to jail or imprisoned

Some characters live in fate's prison.

ViolenceViolence

Racial, social, and class differences often create underlying tension, oftentimes, erupting in violently

Racial, social, and class differences often create underlying tension, oftentimes, erupting in violently

Sense of PlaceSense of Place Clear depiction of rural southern setting

Old small towns Creaky front porches with rocking chairs Old downtown with stately but worn-down buildings

Clear depiction of rural southern setting Old small towns

Creaky front porches with rocking chairs Old downtown with stately but worn-down buildings

Notable Southern Gothic Lit.

Notable Southern Gothic Lit.

Bastard Out of Carolina

Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil

To Kill a Mockingbird

Streetcar Named Desire

A Rose for Emily

Bastard Out of Carolina

Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil

To Kill a Mockingbird

Streetcar Named Desire

A Rose for Emily

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