AP+7.Southern+Gothic+Writing+Genre

=__Southern Gothic Writing Style__=

Alli Griffin Audience – Southern Gothic Writing Style

Tennessee Williams, playwright of //A Streetcar Named Desire,// writes in the style Southern Gothic in order to direct his play at the people of the South. According to one article, //Southern Gothic//, this style of writing utilizes multiple tactics in order to explore the Southern ways of life. The article lists how Southern Gothic connects to Southern people, “The southern Gothic style is one that employs the use of macabre, ironic events to examine the values of the American south” (Southern Gothic). The focus that is put on the “values” in the “American south” show that this style of writing is aimed at Southern people. Americans that live in, say, the North would not have the same connection to the “values” of the South. It is only Southerners that understand and have a connection with the “values of the American south”. In another article, //The Southern Gothic Literary Tradition//, this style of writing is said to connect to its southern audience by means of realistic and harsh social events. The article holds that, “The “grotesque,” one of the key components of Southern Gothic writing, portrays deeply flawed characters, decayed, claustrophobic settings, or sinister events, often linking them to racism, poverty, or violence” (17). At the time that //A Streetcar Named Desire// was written, there was quite a bit of “racism, poverty, [and] violence” going on. Writing about these harsh social norms allows those living in the South to connect to this story. The “linking” that goes on between this story and the Southern peoples is done through the events and how relatable they are to the Southerners.

Works Cited:

“Southern Gothic.” //Wikipedia.com.// Wikimedia Foundation Inc, 7 November 2011. Web. 7 November 2011. “The Southern Gothic Literary Tradition.” Neabigread.com. The Big Read pg. 17, n.d. Web. 7 Nov. 2011.

__Aim of Southern Gothic Writing Genre by Taylor Rosenow__ The Southern Gothic Writing Genre was formed in order to criticize the Southern society and expose the true monsters of the world. It used character disfigurations and sinister events in relation to what was wrong with the public. According to the article //The Southern Gothic Literature//, “Southern Gothic writing, portrays deeply flawed characters, decayed, claustrophobic settings, or sinister events, often linking them to racism, poverty, or violence” (17). The prominent southern issues of “poverty” and “racism” were common themes in Southern Gothic. The whole purpose of this literature was to scorn the existence of such problems and reveal their destructive and dark nature. It introduced the concept of realism and caused people to face the problems plaguing society. The aim of this genre was largely to change the way that issues were being addressed. Instead of sweeping them under the rug, it sought to bring to light all of the oppression, racism, and other common controversies of society. It is known as Southern Gothic, because it focused on southerners and issues that were specific to that certain geographical location. The wiseGEEK webpage on this genre states, “Instead of perpetuating romanticized stereotypes of the Antebellum South, Southern Gothic literature often brings the stock characters of melodrama and Gothic novels to a Southern context in order to make a point about Southern mores” (wiseGEEK). The genre makes a “point about Southern mores”. It was meant to uncover the harsh truths of everyday Southern society and perhaps even meant to help stimulate change where needed.

Works Cited:

“The Southern Gothic Literary Tradition.” Neabigread.com. The Big Read pg. 17, n.d. Web. 7 Nov. 2011. “What is the Southern Gothic Movement in Literature?” e.wisegeek.com. wiseGEEK, n.d. Web.7 Nov. 2011.

__Cultural Impact of Southern Gothic by Hunter Kennedy__ Southern Gothic is all about putting a twist on classic Gothic’s dark writing style. Southern Gothic shows darkness in a new way that was entirely inspired by the culture of the South, and the great oppression that was occurring there. This became a these, and culture characterized in writing as, "Southern gothic, a style of writing practiced by many writers of the American South whose stories set in that region are characterized by grotesque, macabre, or fantastic incidents" ("Southern Gothic"). There were very real and dark things about occurring for minorities such as woman and African Americans, which fit under the description of "grotesque, and macabre". Cultural these were very normal things, but authors such as Tennessee Williams shed light on them in a way that showed how this oppression and the poisonous culture affected individuals. Individuals who play key role in novels under the category of Southern Gothic, are mentally unstable in a variety of different ways. The cultural portion of Southern Gothic is described as, “The South's mystique of decay and danger became a preoccupation for some mid-twentieth-century novelists, who were drawn to its cultural richness (influences include Creole, Cajun, African American, and Caribbean) and to its exotic history of slavery, pirating, and voodoo” (Art+Culture). The cultural impact truly was that this writing genre showed that the mistreatment of these people was not constructive. By presenting such flawed characters, reader gained an understanding of why they needed to improve their culture by making it less socially destructive.

"Southern Gothic @ Art + Culture." //Art + Culture//. Web. 07 Nov. 2011. "Southern gothic." //Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online//. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2011. Web. 09 Nov. 2011. "Southern Gothic Painting by Karla Gilson Hunt - Southern Gothic Fine Art Prints and Posters for Sale." //Fine Art - Art Prints - Fine Art Prints - Greeting Cards - Posters - Originals - Buy Art Online - Sell Art Online//. Web. 09 Nov. 2011.

__HISTORICAL by Chantal Pelzer__



The Southern Gothic writing style grew out of the Reconstruction of the South, right after the Civil War. William Van O'Conner observed the emotionally and economic disadvantaged people of the South saying that, "poverty breeds abnormality (and) in many cases, people were living with a (moral) code that was no longer applicable" (Presley 37). The Southern Gothic writing style mainly focused on flawed characters and/or minorities (blacks, homosexuals, etc...). The writing style ended up exposing common issues in southern society such as poverty and racism. The classic Southern Gothic writing style from the late 1800's influenced the notorious southern gothic novel, Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. Which ended up influencing its readers and challenged the South's social structure. A notable character from the novel is Atticus Finch. Morris Deed, the co-founder and chief trial counsel for the Southern Poverty Law Center cites Atticus Finch as the reason he became a lawyer (Perry 23). Practicing lawyer Scott Turow also cited Atticus as a major influence, "I promised myself that when I grew up and I was a man, I would try to do things just as good and noble as what Atticus had done for Tom Robinson" (Murphy 196). The Southern Gothic style not only exposed the problems of the South, but influenced people to try and solve these problems, and opened many people's eyes to the unjust and corrupt happenings in the South.

Works Cited:

Murphy, Mary. //Scout, Atticus, and Boo: A Celebration of Fifty Years of To Kill a// //Mocking Bird//. New York: HaprerCollins Publishers, 2010. Print.

Petry, Alice. //On Harper Lee: Essays and Reflections//. Tennessee: The University of Tennessee Press, 2008. Print.

Presley, Delma Eugene. "The Moral Function of Distortion in Southern Grotesque." South Atlantic Bulletin, Vol. 37, No. 2. (May, 1972), 37-46.