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...
What I realized about when I grew up in the south was how southern gothic almost always lead when back to the confederate south, the plantations, and antebellum. Even now you in second photo it is literally a photo of a plantation, and you didn't even label it as such. And as for the "vampire diaries" it is definitely southern gothic. I think in regard to television, goth is so interesting to watch is because you can't look away. There is always something new and unexplored about it whether it's a witch getting her powers or a new vampire in town it's like a thriller movie it keeps you on your toes.
ReplyDeleteOluwakemi Akanle
DeleteI think one of the main people like southern gothic and gothic is because of the chance that it could really happen, especially with southern gothic. Deliverance is a great example of this. While it is unlikely to get assaulted by two hillbilly brothers while whitewater rafting, it is not impossible. And if you are not from the south it adds another layer of distance from reality almost because of how remote the areas can be.
ReplyDeleteI believe this provides a challenge for the social norm. people usually view dark colors as mysterious or ominous but that's what i feel brings character to that specific genre
ReplyDeleteEvery person has a dark side to them, but many too afraid to open it up. I think the reason people like Gothic and Southern Gothic Fiction so much is because it excites them and shocks them. Gothic fiction isn't very predictable and there is lots of twists and turns, thus keeps the audience interested and coming back wanting more. People like Gothic stories so much because it is almost like a fantasy, like you are living in a world filled with vampires, werwolf's, and any other supernatural beings. Although Southern Gothic is also very popular because the stories are so realistic, it could actually happen, which also interests the reader/viewer.
ReplyDeleteTara McKearnin
I think Gothic and Southern Gothic are so popular in both literature and television is because it shows another set of emotions and it even though some of the creatures are not real, it makes it feel real. We can use these stories as a way to escape and we find the things that we are looking for like love when a vampire and a werewolf fight over who gets the love the mortal girl or closure when we see the FBI agents get the bad through psychoanalysis. It sparks something in our brain and we want more. Some may think that only women want this kind of emotion but men look for it too; with their cop shows or their military movies. It all has some dark deep meaning and if you wanted to you could connect with those characters and what trauma they faced and how it correlates with their life.
ReplyDeleteWhat makes Gothic fiction interesting to people is that it's a form of literature that isn't afraid to explore and express a darker tone of storytelling and imagery that's not usually seen in other genres. It goes against the norm of storytelling such as having protagonists become antagonists, bad endings, and exploring real life topics in more detail. Fantasy elements, character/plot twists, and shock value are what make Gothic fiction unique from other genres of literature.
ReplyDelete-Franco Jimenez
What I think makes Gothic fiction so popular would be the darker tone that is expressed in it. It includes horror, murder, crime and other such thing that some people can find quite interesting to watch or read about. Some people can also connect gothic fiction to conspiracy theories on certain shows. Gothic fiction can also start as something that seems innocent and calm with it ending up as someone dying, going missing or the killer being hunted down.
ReplyDelete~Rameek Blake
Genres 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.
ReplyDeleteI believe gothic genres to be so popular because it gives people an escape from their own realities. It takes place in such a different world with supernatural creatures and magic. When you gave the example of Vampire diaries it reminded me of how I felt watching that show and why I think it was so popular. For me it was an escape from my boring world where in this series two vampires fall in love with an ordinary girl from a small town. Gothic stories don’t really need to have reasoning either, because it’s fiction and this allows there to be no limits to the stories. To sum it up I do believe that these genres are so popular because they are very entertaining but they are entertaining us from the boring world we live in.
ReplyDeleteI think people enjoy this genre because its an attention grabber. It keeps you wondering and asking questions like "What happens next?" Why did this particular event occur?" The mystery of gothic fiction keeps you engaged and attentive which is why many people enjoy it, its really just mere entertainment in my opinion.
ReplyDelete-Ikenna Onyegbule
The reason why people like Gothic and Southern Gothic fiction is because both genres provide a chance to escape from reality and investigate a new world filled with action. Gothic and Southern Gothic fiction help people explore the characters and storylines to find true meaning of every little thing. This makes us feel engaged and want to interact with the stories or tv shows because we all know that in the real world, there aren’t real vampires or werewolves, but we can at least imagine. The Gothic and Southern Gothic fiction shows us the terror and fear we sometimes look for to make us feel alive. That is why many people love Gothic and Southern Gothic fiction.
ReplyDelete-Natalie Munoz
I think the reason why people like gothic and southern gothic fiction is because of the suspense in both genres. Both genres keep their viewers on their toes and the dark topics and action in the genre hooks in a lot of people. Plus with the supernatural topics it leaves viewers and readers always asking questions.
ReplyDelete-Berkay Bektas
I think Gothic and Southern Gothic fiction are so popular because of the suspense and fear created. Some people get scared easier than others, but being on the edge of your seat and waiting for what happens next is an addictive feeling. On top of that I also think that it is easier for people to be able to create an emotional connection when there is realistic tragedy.
ReplyDelete-Brianna Torres
I think that the reason gothic and southern gothic fiction are so popular is mainly because of the entertainment. Both of these genres have the ability to keep you on the edge of your seat and you'll probably find yourself asking questions like what's going to happen next? The reason that both of these genres are so entertaining and popular among a lot of different audiences is because they provide almost an escape from reality with a lot of supernatural and multiverse worlds. Along with these different worlds, these genres contain a lot of aspects of the darker sides of literature, like horror, romances, heroes, supernatural beings, etc. Southern gothic fiction, especially, allows the audience to experience the aspects of gothic fiction while digging deeper into darker topics that question societies past choices and actions, which is very interesting and educational.
ReplyDelete-Olivia Reina
I believe that Gothic and Southern Gothic fiction is so popular because of its many appeals. It's so different from a lot of other types of literature with its supernatural tendencies and much more. For example, Frankenstein was so popular as it conveyed different meanings while using eerie and suspenseful appeals. It tends to be about death and includes a lot of plot twists. This brings up many interesting things to love and very different from other works of fiction/ literature. For me, its almost "crazy" qualities feels like an escape.
ReplyDeleteGothic (Southern) fiction is another form of reality. Not everyone likes something joyful/happy for entertainment. This genre is more mature and tackles on supernatural or dark realities. Personally, I find this genre enjoyable for the thrills and suspense of what will happen next. There are always new plot twists that keep you on the edge of your seat. I understand the love for this fiction/genre because I love it as well. It's like storytelling for adults.
ReplyDeleteJessica Mongare