Post #2: Why so Goth?
It was a dark and stormy night...
This week, we will discuss two unique genres of fiction: American Gothic and its offshoot, Southern Gothic. For those unfamiliar, popular authors include Edgar Allan Poe for Gothic literature ("The Telltale Heart," "The Raven") and William Faulkner for Southern Gothic literature ("A Rose for Emily").
Sure, the two genres have a couple of key distinctions. Mainly, Southern Gothic writers placed their characters in the American South and made their stories more realistic (not as many supernatural or paranormal happenings).
But overall, Gothic and Southern Gothic stories share many similarities.
They deal with death, crime, tragedy, mystery, sinister events, the grotesque, the uncanny, people who are pure evil, and those who are driven to madness. In other words--the darker side of humanity.
Before "A Rose for Emily" (Faulkner), you may not have read many examples of Gothic or Southern Gothic literature. But you've definitely seen plenty of Gothic inspiration in film and television.
Gothic: Dracula, Frankenstein, Rebecca, Sleepy Hollow, Interview with a Vampire, The Vampire Diaries, Twilight, Van Helsing. Pretty much any vampire movie. Even Teen Wolf, Charmed, Penny Dreadful, and Supernatural.
Southern Gothic: True Blood, American Horror Story (Coven), A Streetcar Named Desire, To Kill a Mockingbird, Cape Fear, The Beguiled, Deliverance, and Sharp Objects.
My question to you is....why are the genres so popular?
Why do you think people like Gothic and Southern Gothic fiction so much? Is it for mere entertainment--or something deeper? Let me know what you think...
I believe people like Gothic and Southern Gothic fiction for mere entertainment. Take the tv shows and the movies for example. the suspense aspect of gothic and southern gothic storytelling allows people the outlet for interpretation. Think about why series like supernatural and teen wolf have had long seasons and been popular. They've had cliffhangers and suspenseful scenes making people guess what would happen next or even make their own fan theories about the future of the show. It's all about what makes people think, giving them a thrill and mystery.
ReplyDeleteThe main reason of attraction for these genres, such as Gothic and Southern Gothic, is mainly for their unique settings. People tend to read literature that binds both the reality and the world of fiction in a precise manner. In Gothic literature, readers can dive deeper and uncovers multiple layers, leaving them wondering about the preceding events. Movies from both of these genres attracted many viewers thanks to their unique settings and supernatural powers' intervention. Both of these genres thrive on entertaining the readers in their dark, terrifying ways,
ReplyDeleteI think people like Gothic and Southern Gothic fiction because they are exciting and entertaining. Gothic and Southern Gothic fiction typically include twists and shocks and surprises and create a world of entertainment for people to watch. For instance, the show The Vampire Diaries, a show centered around Vampires and their lives, love lives, and disasters. The show is addictive and suspenseful, which is why the show has continued for eight seasons. I also think people watch these shows as an escape from reality, and often these shows play with the minds of the audience and allow us to question reality. People like to watch danger and examine the unknown, which is why Gothic and Southern Gothic Fiction is so popular.
ReplyDeleteThe two Genres Gothic and Southern Gothic Fiction, are popular genres because they allow the audience to wonder, believe, think, and realize the real from the unreal. Gothic Fiction is for individuals who find themselves believing in the supernatural, giving them a sense of awe, and something to fear. Gothic Southern Fiction however, is a more authentic approach because it deals with complex characters, Dark humor in societal norms, innocence in cruelty, and is written in cultural sources. I believe that both genres can be at first for mere entertainment, but as you dive deeper, there is much left to uncover. It is almost like an inner fire, once the mind is set it is yearning for more.
ReplyDeleteI believe both of these genres are popular because people are usually attracted to things they don’t understand. As you said, usually Gothic literature contains supernatural elements which i think often lures readers into the story. Often causing the readers to ask questions like “What are these supernatural creatures?” or “What powers do they have?” On the other hand Southern Gothic fiction lures readers into the story by creating realistic settings with dark undertones and events. Which much like Gothic literature, sparks readers interest and causes them to ask questions such as “Why would that character do that?” or “Why don’t they feel any remorse.” Both of these genres bend the rules of “normal reality” in their own way. This combined with their individual aesthetics is what I believe makes both genres so popular, no matter the decade they are written in.
ReplyDelete- Sara Smolock
DeleteI think people like Gothic and Southern Gothic fiction so much because there is an addictive concept to this genre. This genre usually begins with an extremely interesting hook which gets the audience interested in the story from the start. Another topic of discussion that needs to be recognized is the fact that Gothic and Southern Gothic deals with things such as "death and crime". These two topics are usually always very interesting because not everybody deals with these things in their everyday life, therefore when there is a story about crime, death, tragedy or something of that nature we as humans generally have a natural curiosity and by engaging in gothic fiction, we satisfy our natural curiosity.
ReplyDelete~Zoe Yllanes
DeleteGenres like gothic and southern gothic attract so much attention because they provide entertainment from a deeper perspective. The genres storylines include murder, mystery, crime, evilness, and a side of humanity that’s usually overlooked. They also provide the side of the supernatural that people gravitate to the majority of the time. The supernatural storyline gives the audience the chance to indulge in the fantasy of witches, vampires, werewolves, and etc. can exist. It entices fear and excitement. The characters also have more of a complex personality. They are not your usual typical cliché characters that ride off into the sunset. Most of the time the characters don’t even get a happy ending. Instead they get hit with a dose of reality that’s unpleasant. These two genres have a deeper underlying outlook on how reality isn’t always on the brightside. With these fictions the audience are allowed to perceive more of a darker side of entertainment.
ReplyDeleteMany people enjoy genres like Gothic and Southern Gothic because they add a twist to a normal story. They make it more suspenseful, gruesome, eye catching because it leaves it up for audience interpretation at times. They will at times leave characters personalities or backgrounds fairly vague so the audience can imagine and question why a character is so mysterious and dark. Some pieces of gothic and southern gothic literature are made for pure entertainment purposes like the Twilight saga, but there is other pieces of work that are made to explain or shine light on some societal wrong. For instance my interpretation of Frankenstein was that people were scared of Frankensteins physical appearance rather than looking at him based on his flesh. Both of these genres allow audiences to interpret the work themselves and live through them as weird as that may sound.
ReplyDeleteI believe that genres such as Southern Gothic and Gothic do so well because they captivate viewers and entice them with creative plots. With themes like murders, vampires, tragedies, directors have so much creative liberty because they do not have to be realistic, hence why many people get hooked. They are also good distractions from reality that people can easily turn to. Speaking from experience, I was obsessed with American Horror Story because it was unique, full of suspense, full of gory scenes, and an easy escape from reality. Additionally, shows like Teen Wolf that cover supernatural abilities may make viewers desire those powers.
ReplyDeleteGothic and Southern Fiction is extremely appealing to readers as it provides them with the thrill of imagining their external world in a more sinister manner. An individuals desire to be on the edge of their seats with anticipation is fulfilled with the elements of Gothic fiction such as supernatural creatures, frightening legends, and fairytales. This allows the genre to hold a captivating pull over a variety of audiences and satisfy the fantasies of those who indulge. This specific type of fiction also has the capability of relying deeper messages through psychological motives and outcomes that differ different from the standard stereotypical story. They provide the realistic reminder that nothing in life has a perfect ending along with the concept that every action will surely have a consequence.
ReplyDelete-Priscilla Incle
DeleteAs someone who doesn't really experience things such as death or crime in their everyday life, I can imagine that people who also don't experience the darker things in life might turn to American and Southern Gothic to see what these things are like without putting themselves in danger, and also to entertain themselves with things such as vampires or werewolves, since they don't actually exist. There is definitely a pull to understand things we don't usually come in contact with, and sometimes, when it comes to supernatural creatures, we might even watch these things to escape our own reality and dive into one that might be just a little more exciting than what we normally go through in our day to day lives. Overall, I think this type of media is mainly for entertainment purposes, and it's pretty good at what it does; drawing you into the suspense and making you want to know more.
ReplyDelete— Antonia Sussina.
DeleteAmerican and Southern gothic literature may be popular for more than entertainment purposes. As humans we are meant to question everything which is why topics such as death, mystery and evil intrigue readers the most. Great literature forces us to think outside the box and it alters our reality. Readers who are into mystery crave an adrenaline rush. I have rewatched The Vampire Diaries series twice for the thrill of it and for the fact that those type of series make me feel as if I am living another life.
ReplyDeletePeople enjoy Gothic and Southern Gothic genres because they make an interesting and entertaining setting. They usually give a feeling of unease and of being in an unfamiliar place, but still leaves the audience curious and wanting more. I believe that this curiosity of the unknown is what makes these genres so popular. The situations shown are seen as strange and unusual to the audience, and even common occurrences have dark undertones. The added use of twists and turns keep the audience guessing at what will happen next. All of these attributes work well together to create an engaging genre that has lasted for so many years.
ReplyDeleteI believe people like Gothic and Southern Gothic genres because of how weird, and crazy they could be at times. I also think the dark undertones that we see in many of the stories, no matter how scary they can be, at times draw a sin and make us want to keep watching/reading. I feel like you can get a rush from getting scared or creeped out, and many dark themes can do that for people.
ReplyDelete-Anthony Villanella