Elements of Gothicism

Please use this information to record information in the "Elements of Gothicism" portion of your handout.

In looking at American Gothic literature, there are certain common elements that will shine through the text. Below are some of the common elements.

Elements

Psychological overlay is an element that is connected to how characters within an American Gothic novel are affected by things like the night and their surroundings. An example of this would be if a character was in a maze like area and a connection was made to the maze that their minds represented.

Night journeys are a common element seen throughout Gothic literature. They can occur in almost any setting, but in American literature are more commonly seen in the wilderness, forest or any other area that is devoid of people.

Eerie settings are common in Gothic literature. Dark forests, creepy castles, stormy shorelines, and other settings are common backdrops for the stories of Gothicism.

Evil characters are also seen in Gothic literature and especially American Gothic. Depending on the time period that the work is written about, the evil characters could be characters like hunters, trappers, gold miners etc . . .

American Gothic novels also tend to deal with insanity in one or more of the characters and carry that theme throughout the novel. Many Gothic stories follow the main character's decent into madness throughout the plot.

An element of fear is another characteristic of American Gothic literature. This is typically connected to the unknown and is generally seen throughout the course of the entire plot. This can also be connected to the feeling of despair that characters within the novel are overcome by. This element can lead characters to commit heinous crimes.