In this essay, the author Jessica Santosa Hidajat discusses the Southern Gothic Literature, the genre which To Kill a Mockingbird was written in, its historical background and respectively the political and social circumstances that have influenced it.
She has taken four books from the Southern Gothic Literature to present in this essay. She has chosen these books because each two of them represent two important subjects in the literature of the Southern States: A Streetcar named Desire by Tennessee Williams and The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner express the downfall of Southern nobility and the exclusion of their characters from society, Light in August , also by William Faulkner, expresses intimacy and homosexuality in the Southern States and Bastard out of Carolina from Dorothy Allison is at the same time a coming-of-age novel dealing with a childhood subjected to poverty, violence and sexual abuse.
In the attachment that is lightened by some colorful photographs, the author explains the backgrounds for the titles of these books.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Defining the Southern Gothic Literature
- Historical Backgrounds
- Political situation in the 19th century
- Southern nobility
- Poverty in the South
- Literature in the Southern States
- Civil War and Reconstruction
- Queering in the South
- Motives and narrative techniques
- Southern Gothic in chosen novels
- A Streetcar Named Desire
- Content
- Typical characteristics referring to Southern Gothic
- The Sound and the Fury
- Content
- Typical characteristics referring to Southern Gothic
- Light in August
- Content
- Typical characteristics referring to Southern Gothic
- Bastard out of Carolina
- Content
- Typical characteristics referring to Southern Gothic
- A Streetcar Named Desire
- Why Southern Gothic is no longer existing in the Southern Literature
- Conclusion
Objectives and Key Themes
This essay explores the Southern Gothic Literature, its origins, and its influence on various aspects of Southern American society. It aims to analyze the historical and social factors that shaped this literary genre and to demonstrate how those factors continue to resonate within contemporary Southern culture.
- The rise and fall of Southern nobility and its impact on Southern society
- The exploration of issues surrounding race, class, and gender in the South
- The role of violence, poverty, and trauma in Southern Gothic literature
- The influence of Southern Gothic on contemporary literature and culture
Chapter Summaries
The introduction delves into the author's personal journey with Southern Gothic literature, beginning with the discovery of Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" and its influence on her own understanding of the genre. The essay then outlines the focus of the paper, which will be on the Southern Gothic genre, its historical background, and its portrayal in four key novels: "A Streetcar Named Desire," "The Sound and the Fury," "Light in August," and "Bastard out of Carolina." Each novel is selected for its unique exploration of key themes prevalent in Southern Gothic literature.
The second chapter, "Defining the Southern Gothic Literature," provides a concise definition of the genre, highlighting its distinctive features, such as its focus on disturbing and deranged characters, its exploration of social and cultural issues, and its use of dark humor and incongruous character behaviors. The chapter also connects Southern Gothic to the broader themes of race, class, and gender, which are central to the Southern American experience.
The third chapter, "Historical Backgrounds," examines the historical context that shaped the Southern Gothic genre. It draws a distinction between the Northern and Southern states during the 19th century, exploring the differences in their economic development, social values, and political ideologies. The chapter goes on to analyze the political landscape of the 19th century, focusing on events such as the rise of white supremacy and the increasing tension between the North and the South over the issue of slavery.
Keywords
The key concepts of this essay revolve around the Southern Gothic genre and its connection to Southern American culture. Keywords include: Southern Gothic, American Civil War, Southern Nobility, Racism, Poverty, Gender, Sexuality, Trauma, and Violence. These terms highlight the core themes and issues explored within the essay.
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- Jessica Santosa Hidajat (Autor), 2017, Southern Gothic Literature, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/441974
