Southern+Gothic+Writing+Genre

cultural brittany wyatt



Southern Gothic Writing Genre's main goal was to expose it's problems to the readers seen in the medieval society.This is mainly focused on supernatural beings, inspired by the 18th century writing style of just "gothic." Some highlights of the writing style are Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne who helped establish the culture of the society of the 19th century. The main development of culture was the fact that "medieval criticism is what the genre aimed for"(Surber). This is can occur majorly to culture today as it highlights the problem of history to ensure that they do not occur in modern day society.This main establishment was to create entertaining stories in a completely different light and it emphasizes medieval times and the breakthrough to have originality and different perspectives of life. Most of this genre is created on the thought of being dark, scary and emotional. It brings out the most human emotion than any other genre and still today is a respected well rounded genre in this culture.

Surber, Katie. "Southern Gothic Literature: Definitions, Characteristics, & Authors." American Literature. //Study.com//, n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.

Winfrey, Oprah. "Southern Gothic Distinguishing Features." // Oprah.com //. //Harpo Productions,// 21 Apr. 2004. Web. 22 Apr. 2015.

Savannah- Historical Southern Gothic Literature is a sub genre of gothic literature. It focuses on mental illness, delusion, and the grotesque. It reached peak popularity in the 1940s-60s. It is inspired by the English gothic literature that was popular in the 18th century. Gothic literature began as a critique on the human psyche, touching on romance and the supernatural. Edgar Allan Poe became one of the first and better known Southern Gothic authors, and in the 1920s William Faulkner popularized it yet again. Where Edgar Allan Poe’s literature was mostly grotesque, and dark humor, Faulkner focused on the mind and the mentally ill. He sets most of his novels in Mississippi, and focuses on Southern archetypes.

Goddu, Teresa A. "Gothic America." // Google Books // //.// Columbia University, n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.

Surber, Katie. "Southern Gothic Literature." // Study.com // //.// N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.

Taryn - Audience



Southern Gothic Literature was not written for faint of heart. It focussed mostly on damaged or even delusional characters with a focus on twisted or grotesque themes. Examples of these writings are Frankenstein, Dracula and short stories by Edgar Allen Poe. The main audience for Southern Gothic Literature was those who were educated and wanted a thrill, readers who weren't afraid of a little horror, supernatural and dark twists. According to Oprah's Book Club, "The genre is riddled with many broken bodies, and even more broken souls" (Oprah). The audience for Southern Gothic were the readers who wanted to expand from the normal and view life in a different light. Those who wanted more than the everyday scary story and wanted one that dealt with real life situations or struggles.

Surber, Katie. "Southern Gothic Literature: Definition, Characteristics & Authors." //Study.com//. N.p., 2003. Web. 22 Apr. 2015.

Winfrey, Oprah. "Southern Gothic Distinguishing Features." //Oprah.com. Harpo Productions//, 21 Apr. 2004. Web. 22 Apr. 2015.

Aim-Michael



Southern Gothic Literature was made with purpose of opening people’s eyes to historical societal problems, mainly from medieval times, that may also apply to the modern world. One instructor describes this type of literature, “Southern Gothic literature is a genre of Southern writing. The stories often focus on grotesque themes. While it may include supernatural elements, it mainly focuses on damaged, even delusional, characters” (Surber). This allows authors to more easily show the ugly parts of society instead of making it develop in the background, “In Gothic literature, the authors wanted to expose the problems they saw in medieval society” (Surber). In this literature it is the forefront of the literature. However, because these problems were highlighted there were many other themes to make it entertaining. The theme of darkness and unnatural stuff in the first works of Southern Gothic Literature continue to modern day,

These days “Southern Gothic” encompasses all manner of lurid, mysterious, otherworldly, or merely eccentric goings-on in Southern fiction, and while scholars, critics, and the writers themselves variously dissect, debate or dismiss the tag, many would agree with Carson McCullers’ observation that Southern writers frequently juxtapose “the tragic with the humorous, the immense with the trivial, the sacred with the bawdy, the whole soul of man with a materialistic detail. (Paran).

The main point of Southern Gothic Literature is to highlight the issues of society in the past and its appliance to modern day. Through dangerous and dark settings the aim of this is emphasized.

Paran, Janice. "What Is Southern Gothic? Janice Paran" //McCarter Theatre: Crimes of the Heart//. PNC Foundation, n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.

Surber, Katie. "Southern Gothic Literature: Definitions, Characteristics, & Authors." American Literature. //Study.com//, n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.