in American Literature 1830s - 1960s Laurie Miller Southern Gothic in American Literature 1830s - 1960s Laurie Miller

Background 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 uses these to explore social issues and reveal the cultural character of the American South.

Background Takes classic Gothic archetypes, such as the monster or the heroic knight, and turns them into American Southerners a spiteful, reclusive spinster; an uneducated drunk a quiet, wise lawyer Most notable feature is the “grotesque” a character whose negative qualities allow the author to highlight unpleasant aspects in Southern culture. Something in the town, the house, the farm is bizarre and often falling apart

Influences in Southern Writing Slavery Civil War Segregation Revolution in culture Poverty Military/ War

Elements of Southern Writing Style Dialect Writing Not used often in other writings because it is viewed as condescending to the race or ethnicity being portrayed. Popular in Southern writing and incorporates local speech and patterns i.e. ain’t, y’all etc. and misspelling of words to display meaning i.e. yuh (you) and lak (like) Explain dialect writing

Dialect Writing Cont. Examples of books with dialect writing: Tom Sawyer To Kill a Mockingbird Their Eyes Were Watching God Huck Finn The Color Purple Example from Eyes Watching God, : p. 112 “Janie, everybody’s talkin’ ‘bout how dat Tea Cake is draggin’ you round tuh places you ain’t used tuh.”

Examples of Dialect Writing Excerpts from Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston "At dat she ain't so ole as some of y'all dat's talking." "She ain't even worth talkin' after," Lulu Moss drawled through her nose. "She sits high, but she looks low. Dat's what Ah say 'bout dese ole women runnin' after young boys."

Common Themes Chivalry This theme reflected SAouthern culture where women were treated with respect and were delicate flowers to be doted upon (ideally). Some of the best American romance novels are written by Southern authors because of this utopian romanticism. i.e. Gone With The Wind

Themes Continued Values and Morals Many values and morals in Southern literature are a result of a strong Christian influence especially of the rigid Baptist church. Family values are also very prominent. Usually this theme is presented from a traditional standpoint.

Defining Feature Cast of off-kilter characters Broken bodies, minds or souls Used to symbolize problems created by the established pattern Used to question established pattern’s morality and ethical justification The “Innocent” is a common character, who may or may not be “broken,” but who often acts as a redeemer for others

Other Specific Features of Southern Gothic Freakishness Outsider Imprisonment Violence Sense of Place

Freakishness In most Southern gothic stories, there is an important character who is set apart from the world by in a negative way by a disability or an odd, and often negative way of seeing the world.

Outsider Southern novels are filled with characters who are set apart from the established cultural pattern, but who end up being heroes because their difference allows them to see new ways of doing things that ultimately help to bring people out of the “dark.”

Imprisonment This is often both literal and figurative. Many Southern gothic tales include an incident where a character is sent to jail or locked up. There are also Southern gothic characters that live in fate's prison.

Violence Racial, social and class difference often create underlying tension in Southern gothic novels that threatens, and usually does, erupt in violent ways

Sense of Place You can’t read a Southern Gothic novel without understanding what a Southern town “feels” like: old small towns Houses have front porches with rocking chairs Old downtown with stately but worn-down buildings

Sense of Place

William Faulkner Many say Faulkner’s short stories resembled his life. They included struggles with rage, alcoholism, and adultery. Each of these hardships were sadly common in Southern America during the 1920s through 1950s and even today. His works were famous in the South and encouraged many more Southern novels.

Flannery O’Connor Religion was a key factor in her life and thus reflected in her writing. She was raised Roman Catholic but many of the characters in her books were Protestant. It was her observation that Protestants expressed their faith through dramatic action, something she did not see in Catholics

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