Conventions of American Gothic Fiction



Conventions of Gothic Fiction

What settings are common in Gothic Literature?

European Gothics traditionally used ruined or isolated castle or mansion settings, but American landscapes were devoid of castles, so American Gothic writers substituted large, drafty, old houses that have “been in the family for years.”

The setting is always isolated or remote (in time or space) from contemporary life, and the building may be associated with past violence or contain hidden doors, underground secret passages, concealed staircases, dungeons, torture chambers, dark towers, or hidden rooms. Other settings include crypts and tombs.

What moods do Gothic writers evoke?

Gothic writers cultivate a mood of mystery, dread and suspense in their stories. They create this mood in many ways, such as,

• Dark, foreboding, forbidding, and ghostly diction (word choice) is designed to evoke feelings of gloom and doom.

• Unnatural acts of nature (blood-red moon, sudden fierce wind, etc.) foreshadow bad things to come. Mist can obscure objects by reducing visibility or foreshadow the insertion of a terrifying person or thing. Storms frequently accompany important events. Flashes of lightening accompany revelation. Thunder and downpours prefigure the appearance of a character or the beginning of a significant event.

• Omens, foreshadowing and dreams can cultivate a suspenseful mood.

Why is terror important to the Gothic writers?

First, terror can evoke the sublime. The idea of the sublime is essential to an understanding of Gothic literature. Put basically, the sublime is an overpowering sense of the greatness and power of nature, which can be uplifting, awe-inspiring and terrifying, caused by experience of beauty, vastness or grandeur. Sublime moments lead man to consider the place of humanity in the universe, and the power exhibited in the world.

Additionally, Gothic writers use terror to demonstrate their belief in darkness as intrinsic to human nature. Generally speaking, Gothic literature delves into the dark nature of humanity. These authors, unlike the Romantics, generally focus on man’s limitations and his darker nature.

What common plot devices do the Gothics use?

Gothic stories usually begin with one of the following elements:

• A ghostly legend or a haunting by some kind of ghost or spirit

• An unexplainable occurrence (doors opening by themselves, unexplained sounds)

• Discovering and then trying to fix a dark family secret or family curse

• A horrible death or murder has taken place in the particular setting

• Revenge, enacted by or upon mortals or spirits, and harming the body, loved ones, or family (or a combination)

During the rising action, these stories almost always include supernatural events, and these events are often violent or macabre (including gruesome and horrific details of death and decay). The events cannot be hidden, ignored or rationalized, despite the efforts of the narrator.

The climax is the most frightening and terrible moment in the story.

The resolution usually includes a strong moral or lesson.

What are Gothic characters like?

Gothic narrators are often “unreliable narrators.” This means they do not understand the importance of a particular situation or make an incorrect conclusion or assumption about an event they witness. This type of narrator may be crazy or otherwise mentally unstable. The mysterious events of the story’s plot often cause this protagonist to question his or her sanity, not trusting the evidence of his or her senses and hardly believing in the presence of seemingly supernatural beings.

The protagonist will be made to enter into highly charged emotional states, including terror, a feeling that one is on the brink of insanity, anger, agitation, an exaggerated feeling of impending doom, or obsessive love. Additionally, the protagonist is usually internally motivated by curiosity or fear.

Other characters may include…

• Damsels in distress: Women who may be frightened and confused, wandering around lost, or dying due to a slow and unexplainable illness

• The supernatural: Marvelous or mysterious creatures, monsters, or spirits; characters or objects with frightening supernatural powers

• Strangers: Mysterious or frightening strangers

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