AP+2013+Southern+Gothic+Writing+Genre

=Aim - Caelyn Buller= Southern Gothic Literature is a genre made to show the more gruesome characters in life and the way southern life was lived. It is mainly based around characters who have a revelation of the society within the novel. The characters and settings of this are often very negative and gruesome in that sense. This is described as, "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" (National Endowment for the Art). These characteristics that are describing the literature are often seen as negative traits or things. When these are applied to the literature the sinister events can shape a character to have racism and blame towards other characters, leading them to act out through violence. The aim of this genre is really to show what life was like for that part of the south. It was meant to show the negative situations there were at the time as a effect of the racism and violence presented. This genre really brought the public's eyes to what was going on, rather than letting them act as if it did not happen. The grotesque characters in this literature are often seen to be flaws by most of society and they show this through, "A character’s negatives/undesirable characteristics allow the author to show/comment on unpleasant aspects of southern culture. - racial bigotry, crushing poverty, violence, moral corruption or ambiguity" (Cleary 1). The negative characteristics of the characters allow for the aim to be apparent. This is that South Gothic literature was leant to reveal the negative side of life at the time in the South. It was achieved through that poverty, racism and violence that the characters are given.

Work Cited: Cleary, Lucas. "Southern Gothic Literature." //Plymouth High School //. N.p., n.d. Web.

“The Southern Gothic Literary Tradition.” Neabigread.com. The Big Read pg. 17, n.d. Web 2. April. 2013

=Audience - Caelyn Buller=

Southern Gothic Literature is a twist on the classic genre literature established by writers' like Edgar Alan Poe, Gothic. In Southern Gothic it is aimed towards a more specific audience, being the south. In the article: The Southern Gothic Literary Tradition it explains this by stating, "This fiction avoids stereotype by creating unusual characters, and imbues them with qualities that cause the reader to examine the world of the novel and the human experience more closely" (National Endowment for the Arts). THrough this the author is able to create an otherwise unrevealed character of society. It is not considered normal to have those character traits as before. This shows how the author can show the audience the truth of that southern lifestyle. These can be capture with other traits as well that pull in the audience. Other traits often see are: " t's no coincidence an entire genre was inspired by our quirks, captured as only Southerners can. Southern Gothic, based in literature and still thriving in pop culture, is packed with mystery, eccentricity, and the supernatural" (Southern Gothic). THis shows some other issues covered in this form of literature. It allows for the reader (audience) to take in the mystery and supernatural aspects that often come in the gothic genre with a southern twist. The audience for this is the south because the authors wish to show them the truth of themselves.

"Southern Gothic Lit List." //Southern Living//. N.p., Apr. 2011. Web. 02 Apr. 2013.

“The Southern Gothic Literary Tradition.” Neabigread.com. The Big Read pg. 17, n.d. Web 2. April. 2013

=Historical - Jason Gomez= Southern Gothic Literature became popular during 1940s to 1960s in which was a new sub genre of literature similar to the Gothic genre, in which solely took place in American South during that time period. The Encyclopedia Britannica describes Southern Gothic Literature and states, " 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" (Britannica 1). South Gothic Literature was composed by those who lived in the area, in which they depicted life in the area in a radical manner. Famous Southern Gothic writers such as William Faulkner and Tennessee Williams created pieces of literature comprised of deeply flawed, disturbing, sinister, and grotesque settings, characters, events, and situations, in which all worked together to examine the values of the American South. Despite all of the components of this genre of literature is depecited as grotesque, the Plymouth School District's presentation titled "Southern Gothic Literature" states that, " Southern Gothic Literature Often comments on society’s negatives or weaknesses to point out truths of America’s southern culture which is often disturbing, but realistic" (Plymouth School District 3). During the time of the depression and the Southern Renaissance, where New South came into play and completely contrasted with Old South, authors utilized their works to comment on the negatives within the South via radical and grotesque situations, but could all ultimately be realistic and reasonable. Southern Gothic authors provide an extreme representation of the South within their novels, in which allowed for this genre to be at its height from the 1940s to 1960s. As the status of the South began to change, so did its literature, in which Southern Gothic Literature began to come to an end after the 1960s.

Works Cited: Plymouth School District. "Southern Gothic Literature." N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Apr. 2013.

"Southern Gothic (American Literature)." //Encyclopedia Britannica Online//. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2013.

=Cultural - Elena Meeker= The cultural aspect of Southern Gothic Writing is unique in that instead of being the result of the genre, the culture inspired works such as Tennessee Williams's //A Streetcar Named Desire//. The culture is represented in the setting of southern Gothic novels as the reason for the characters' actions. Southern Gothic novels take place in harsh conditions where issues such as poverty, strife, and violence permeate the characters' freedom - a common theme in Southern Gothic literature. Southern Gothic writers looked to inspiration in their society, taking recognizable common elements and transposing them into literature. In this way, the culture that inspired the Southern Gothic genre interacts with the genre itself, as writers utilize "grotesque characters to illuminate universal truths about the human condition" (The Southern Gothic Literary Tradition). Southern Gothic literature, like its inspiration is realistic in its portrayal of the human experience. Everyday hardships in Southern Gothic novels are portrayed in the same light that as a society, people were having to push through in order to stay alive and reach their dreams. However, the goal of Southern Gothic writing was not to be preachy and relentless to the actions of the reader. The goal was simply to highlight the areas of life that were degraded by the regression of society and its impact on the citizens of the society as a whole.

“The Southern Gothic Literary Tradition.” Neabigread.com. The Big Read pg. 17, n.d. Web 1. April. 2013