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North Smithfield High School Library : Gothic Literature:

Gothic:

Gothic Literature: 

Writing that employs dark and picturesque scenery, startling and melodramatic narrative devices, and an overall atmosphere of mystery, fear, and dread. Often, a Gothic novel or story will revolve around a large, ancient house that conceals a terrible secret or serves as the refuge of an especially frightening and threatening character.

 

Gothic Motifs:

 In narrative, a motif is any recurring element that has symbolic significance in a story. Through its repetition, a motif can help produce other narrative aspects such as theme or mood. 

Unnerving Atmosphere Dark, Oppressive and/or Extreme Setting

Young Innocent Hero/Heroine

Villain/Monster
Societal Taboos Sexual Power Mystery & Fear Supernatural/Paranormal
Omens/Curses

 

Damsel in Distress

Emotional Distress Anti-hero
Romance The Uncanny Social Upheaval/Crisis
Doubles/Recurrences Power & Constraint Place & Time The Sublime

 

Understanding Gothic & Analyzing Horror:

VIDEO: Gothic: The Dark Heart of Film:

This 4 minute video shows many of the motifs that define Gothic works. 

How many can you identify?

Vanity Fair:

VIDEO: A History of Horror Movies: 1896-2018

Explores the evolution of horror in connection with societal issues.

Gothic Stories:

"The Devil and Tom Walker"

by Washington Irving

(1824)

"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"

by Washington Irving 

(1820)

"The Hollow of the Three Hills"

by Nathaniel Hawthorne

(1830)

"Young Goodman Brown"

by Nathaniel Hawthorne

(1835)

"The Birthmark"

by Nathaniel Hawthorne

(1843)

"The Oval Portrait"

by Edgar Allan Poe

(1842)

"The Masque of the Red Death"

by Edgar Allan Poe

(1842)

"The Black Cat"

by Edgar Allan Poe

(1843)

Gothic Stories:

"Jean-ah Poquelin"

by George Washington Cable

(1879)

"The Veldt"

by Ray Bradbury

(1950)

"The Minority Report"

by Philip K. Dick

(1956)

"Vaster Than Empires and More Slow"

by Ursula K. LeGuin

(1971)

"Bloodchild"

by Octavia Butler

(1984)

"St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves"

by Karen Russell

(2006)

"A Rose for Emily"

by William Faulkner

(1930)

Gothic Stories:

"Why Honey?"

by Raymond Carver

(1976)

"The Nuclear Family: His Talk, Her Teeth"

by Katherine Dunn 

(1989)

(pgs. 9-13)

"Babycakes"

by Neil Gaiman

(1990)

"The White Road"

by Neil Gaiman

(1995)

"Click Clack the Rattlebag"

by Neil Gaiman

(2012)

"Other People"

by Neil Gaiman

(2012)

Gothic Stories:

"Graveyard Shift"

by Stephen King

(1970)

"Popsy"

by Stephen King

(1993)

"The Night Flier"

by Stephen King

(1997)

"The Bloody Chamber"

by Angela Carter 

(1979)

pgs. 2-26

"The Lady of the House of Love"

by Angela Carter

(1979)

AUDIO: "The Lady of the House of Love" (Internet Archive)

The Virgin Suicides

by Jeffrey Eugenides

(1993)

  • AUDIO: The Virgin Suicides Read by Jenny Juniper

Gothic Stories:

"The Whole Town's Sleeping"

by Ray Bradbury

(1950)

"The October Game"

by Ray Bradbury

(1980)

The Haunting of Hill House 

by Shirley Jackson

(1959)

"The Wife's Story" 

by Ursula K. LeGuin

(1982)