Your guide to the dark side of the South. Southern Gothic Your guide to the dark side of the South.

What is southern gothic? (And why should I care?) Southern Gothic is a subgenre of Gothic fiction in American Literature that is based exclusively in the American South. The American South is defined by states that tried to secede from the Union during the Civil War. This includes (in order of secession): South Carolina, Mississippi, FLORIDA, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee. The election of Abraham Lincoln to the presidency in 1860 was the final straw for many Southern, slave-owning states. South Carolina was the first state to declare secession on December 20, 1860. Florida declared secession on January 10, 1861, mere days before inauguration. Of the remaining 8 states, 4 (Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee) seceded after the initial battle of the Civil War, the Battle of Fort Sumter.

What is southern gothic? (And why should I care?) Gothic Literature began in England during the 18th century (1700’s). The biggest characteristic of the genre was that authors wanted to expose the problems they saw in society in a grotesque way that often (but not always) included supernatural and romantic elements. Famous examples of this are Frankenstein and Dracula. Gothic first appeared in American Literature in the 19th century with short stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne and Edgar Allan Poe.

What is southern gothic? (And why should I care?) Gothic made its way South around 1920 with the introduction of William Faulkner’s writing. (The author of As I Lay Dying) The height of Southern Gothic, however, didn’t happen until the 1940’s-1950’s, when segregation and the Civil Rights Movement were center stage in Southern culture. Though it has many similarities to Gothic Literature, Southern Gothic tends to not involve as much of the supernatural and suspense, but rather includes a dark humor that is characteristic of the South. (The obvious exception to this is Anne Rice’s novels, like Interview with a Vampire, that does take place in Louisiana.) It still follows the model of pointing out the problems of society, but does so through the development of complex, depraved, and often delusional characters. These characters tend to be over-the-top and unrealistic, yet have many (strange) behaviors that are reflective of reality.

Say what? (The dialect of the south) A key characteristic of the South is the very obvious dialect often associated with members of the Southern community. This is often attributed to a “twang” accent, or particular way of saying words, such as elongated vowel sounds, pronouncing ‘th’ sounds as a ‘d’ sound, and combining odd words or phrases together that are particular to the region. For example: Saying “y’all” as opposed to “you all”.

Say what? (The dialect of the south) There are 4 distinct dialects of the Southern Accent: Appalachian (Most recognizable) North Georgia, North Alabama, East Tennessee, Northwestern South Carolina, Western North Carolina, Eastern Kentucky, Southwestern Virginia, Western Maryland, and West Virginia Gullah African American Vernacular in the South, particularly in Georgia, Alabama, Northern Florida, and Tennessee Yat or Acadiana Creole-infused dialect found primarily in Louisiana (New Orleans) and Mississippi Inland South Texas, Kansas, Arkansas

Say what? (The dialect of the south) In order to capture this particular style of speaking, Southern writers often have to ignore the rules of proper English Grammar and Spelling to capture what a Southerner sounds like. A great example of this is from the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (not a Southern Gothic writer, but still Southern), which is considered a Gullah accent: “ ‘You’se Mrs. Mayor Starks, Janie. I god, Ah can’t see what uh woman uh yo’ sability would want tuh be treasurin’ all dat gum-grease from folks dat don’t even own de house dey sleep in.’ ”

Trademark Style

Trademark Styles Dark Humor (sarcasm, irony, humor involving macabre topics) is very typical in Southern Gothic, and often defines the subgenre. There is usually at least one mentally unstable (or rumored to be mentally unstable) character in the novel, whether a main or minor character. It is always set in the South, and typically takes place on a plantation, in rural towns, or decaying homes.

Traditional Southern Values One of the biggest trademarks of Southern Culture is the importance of “Southern Values” in a society. Southern Culture is often referred to as the “Culture of Honor” When settlers first came to the US, many of the agricultural families from Southern England and Anglican towns put down roots in New England, while herders from Scotland, Northern Ireland, Northern England, and the West Country (Wales) settled in the South. As these herders were susceptible to theft, they became engrossed in violent retribution and placing high importance on one’s word. Many social scientists believe, however, that modern American Southern culture (and the culture we will see in Southern Gothic literature) was created by influence from poverty and religion.

Traditional Southern Values The Role of Women In the traditional South, women are held to strict gender roles, and not often considered equals to the men in their lives. Women were often confined to motherhood and maintaining the household, not given opportunities to become independent. Men were expected to be gentlemanly and chivalrous toward women: it was unheard of to swear in front of a woman or be rude to her, and men were expected to do things such as walk closest to the road when accompanying a woman down the street, hold doors open for her, carry heavy objects, and generally treating women as the fragile creatures God created them to be.

Southern Gothic changed all that.

Southern gothic Gender roles Gender roles are typically overthrown in Southern Gothic literature. Women tend to be more independent, or wish to be more independent. Men can often take on more maternal roles, or will take on the roles of both parents, as many times in stories the mothers either die, are dying, or already dead. For example: Scout and Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird (yes, a Southern Gothic classic) do not adhere to traditional gender roles.

Traditional Southern Values Religion Religious practice is held in very high esteem across the South, with many branches of Protestantism being the most popular, especially depending on what region you are in. A part of the South is often referred to as the “Bible Belt”, a stretch of some states (not including Florida) that adhere strictly to a Christian upbringing, particularly that of the Baptist denomination. Religion is often a main theme of Southern Gothic novels, and if it isn’t, church or God are often mentioned.

Traditional southern Values Family Family is placed second to religion in Traditional South. This is a common theme in Southern Gothic literature, however the subgenre tends to show a family disintegrating due to its insistence of staying together. In Southern Gothic, dysfunctional families are typically a focal point, as we will see in the short story A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O’Connor.