...The traditions of the southern gothic genre helped shape American literature because it helps to exemplify the moral blindness of the south. The traits of southern gothic literature are macabre situations and disturbed personalities. Southern gothic literatures traits are clearly portrayed in the stories through the characters. “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor is about how a self righteous grandmother and her family go on a road trip, only to be killed by a man the grandmother says is a good man. The three traits of southern gothic literature exemplified in this story are, being an outsider, disturbed personalities, and good versus evil. The Misfit, the man who killed grandmother and her family, says that he didn't belong in jail because he didn't know why he was there, until the doctor told him. He says that he was different...
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...Gothic Elements Used in A Rose for Emily Southern Gothic became popular in the 19th century by famous short story writers such as Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Ambrose Bierce. Unlike traditional gothic writing, Southern Gothic is unique to the American South and goes in depth about unpleasant Southern Characteristics. It focuses on details such as death, violence and grotesque aspects. These are all used to “explore social issues and reveal the cultural character of the American South (Wikipedia).” Authors use Southern Gothic writing to show the brokenness of a character by giving them qualities such as isolation, freakishness and people that are “not right in the head (Oprah).” Authors analyze their character and want you to make your own decision about who they are by using characteristics that make them seem insane, though to the character, they are normal. Mortality is usually a possibility to most characters. Although authors point out a certain type of innocence, desperation usually overpowers any type of innocence given to a character. The sense of place in Southern Gothic is usually related to a dusty home with a front porch wrapped around, a screen door swinging on creaky hinges and your someone sitting in a rocking chair swatting at flies. The town would be small with a general store that is barely hanging on and the town drunk works there. The sense of place is a strong characteristic in Southern Gothic writing. It sets the feel for the writing...
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...Cotina Moore English 1302 Essay #1 Southern Gothic Fiction 02 March 2015 “What Is In A Title” A Literary Analysis of Flannery O’ Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” “Good Country People,” and “Everything That Rises Must Converge” “I am not afraid that the book will be controversial, I’m afraid it will not be controversial-Flannery O’Connor Flannery O’Connor is considered one of the best short story authors of the 20th century. Born in Savannah Georgia in 1925, O’Connor was a devout Catholic. Her writings incorporated religious themes and her southern life (Bio). When reading O’Connor’s short stories, it is very surprising and shocking that the stories are often dark and controversial. Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” “Good Country People,” and “Everything That Rises Must Converge” use macabre, grotesque violence, irony, and grace through the depiction of her characters to illustrate that when an individual is faced with “grave” circumstances; those are the moments when grace is realized. Flannery O’Connor incorporates the use of macabre and violence in her short story “A Good Man is Hard to Find” masterfully to elicit an unforgettable moment of grace from a character when faced with her “grave” circumstance. The use of grotesque violence is vividly displayed as a southern family is horrendously murdered by an escaped convict, The Misfit and his accomplices. An “eerie” sense of foreshadowing is realized when the protagonist, the grandmother...
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...William Faulkner’s captivating story “A Rose for Emily” is a shining example of gothic literature. Faulkner expresses sadness for the love that is not returned, and a drive that Miss Emily Grierson uses to get what she wishes for. He adapts a gloomy and mysterious tone in order to compare Miss Emily’s rejection to young adults today. Faulkner opens his story by expressing the amount of respect that is shown at Miss Emily’s funeral. It is said that the entire town attended this event, but also that some only showed up to see what the inside of her house looked liked because no one had been inside in over ten years. He explains this to show the mysterious appeal of Miss Emily. By explaining the mystery in Miss Emily, he conveys a dark tone that baffles the audience. Faulkner then shifts the story toward explaining what Miss Emily’s house had once looked like. It was a big grim house that was once white. It was the only one left on the street and many believes that it was an abomination to the community. It is evident that Miss Emily and her house are connected in a way. Miss Emily’s family was once one of the most prominent in the town because of the relationship the father had with Colonel Sartoris, but as she grew older the opinions of her social status changed along with her. Her father not only had great power within the community, he also had power over her as well. This authority is shown through the portrait that Faulkner painted in the story: Miss Emily a slender...
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...“The River” By Flannery O’Conner Analysis The Bible has and always will have the uncanny ability to express meanings and truths in personal and powerful ways. Magnificent stories that carry themes and lessons that are seen by some, but lost to others. In the short story “The River” by Mary Flannery O’Conner a similar approach was used. O’Conner uses the powerful symbolism and brilliant metaphor of The River to craft a story that dives deeply into the themes of Faith and Salvation that express her personal convictions on the secular and Christian world views. This is especially true in Harry’s baptism scene as well as the final scene that take place at the river. In the story “The River” Harry’s Parents seem to show little or no interest in him. Their life is consumed with entertainment and the social life. Harry is either left alone to fend for himself or stuck with baby sitters for long periods of time. On one particular occasion Harry ends up going to a religious gathering at a river with one of his babysitters Mrs. Connin. There he is taken into the water and baptized by bevel the preacher. He is told how much he “Counts” and is loved in the eyes of God. Upon returning home, Harry finds that his parents are having another party. Disappointed, he realizes that living with his parent’s is hopeless and he never will matter to them. Harry then decides to take matters into his own hands. He reflects on how wonderful it was at the river the day before. He leaves the...
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...The image is desolate: a lonesome man isolates himself in his home for years as his neighbors question his motives. In To Kill a Mockingbird, author Harper Lee portrays the mysterious character through narrator Scout’s perspective. Scout would listen to the gossip in her neighborhood, especially regarding one peculiar neighbor. Lee characterizes Arthur “Boo” Radley as a benevolent, mysterious outcast. In doing so, Lee suggests that one may isolate his or her self to avoid ruthless judgment from others. Depicted as a compassionate character in the novel, Lee subtly portrays Boo through the use of reliable and trustworthy characters. When Scout asks her neighbor Miss Maudie Atkinson if Boo is still alive, Miss Maudie says she “know he’s alive” because she “[hasn’t] seen him carried out yet” (43). The realization that Boo is still alive becomes a shock to Scout because she does not completely comprehend the reason why Boo chooses to stay in his home. Miss Maudie states that Boo “always spoke nicely to [her], no matter what folks said he did” (46). Despite what Scout said before of a “malevolent phantom” living in the Radley house, she discovers that the neighborhood gossip pertaining Boo were indeed false. In addition, Miss Maudie’s revelation regarding Boo reveals that she does not partake in the neighborhood gossip or believe in diminishing a person’s reputation. However, as Lee portrays Boo’s personality with reliable sources in the novel, she also includes the neighborhood...
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...ain’t got no business bringin white chillun here-- they got their church, we got our’n. It is our church, ain’t it, Miss Cal?” (Lee 158). Lula wasn’t afraid to share her opinions on the situation, and her point was that it would practically be a crime if a black child had been let into a white church; her view being that it was unjust to simply welcome white children into theirs. This shows the culture of some of the African Americans during this time, and that the conflict between the two races was not always one-sided. Being outside of the house with Cal also provides the children with knowledge about Cal and her behavior beyond her staying at the Finch’s, which is unsurprisingly not very unlike her mother figure at home. Jem’s innocence influences his desire to believe that his town is a wonderful place, but experiences like these had introduced Jem to the imperfections and reality of Maycomb and the people around him. Jem’s journey with Boo Radley, the town recluse, had ultimately caused him to learn the inaccuracies of rumors and the negativity of prejudice and judgment. Jem’s ideas of Boo began with rumors expressing that Boo Radley was essentially a monster. The lack of contact between the two had greatly caused the ongoing judgment and past beliefs about Boo. As Boo supplies gifts through the knothole, Jem begins to realize that Boo is a human being and was a “mockingbird” after all. That knothole had been the only way of communication between the two and after he had been...
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...Empathy has been a vital part of human society since conception, the ability to sympathize with others is necessary to fix problems and progress as a civilization. In Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird Atticus teaches his children, an essential lesson. Atticus states "You never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them"(Lee). Lee further vindicates this statement through imagery and motif, concluding that, to truly know someone one must observe issues in their shoes. The motif of empathizing with another character's plights to better interpret their actions and the characters themselves is prevalent throughout Scout's narration. The most notable example being when Atticus explains Bob Ewell's rationale for his hostile encounter, "Jem, see if you can stand in Bob Ewell's shoes a minute. I destroyed his last shred of credibility at that trial if he had any, to begin with." (Lee). Even though Atticus wholeheartedly disagrees with Bob's response, he still understands them and encourages Jem to do so as well. Showing that even when people act out of impulse and through faulty reasoning it is still paramount to discern their perspective of the incident at hand. Imagery is used to envision Arthur Radley's perspective of the novel. Near the conclusion, Scout sits on the Radley porch and finally begins to see things through the eyes of Arthur rather than her own. Whilst retrospecting, Scout narrates the story through the view of Arthur, "It was fall, and his...
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...Gothic Elements Gothic can be defined as literature written to conduct “frightening, feral scenarios in which mysterious secrets, extreme isolation, grotesque images, and characters’ duress combine to create a dark and horrid image for its bold readers” (Renaldo 2). Generally presenting the same themes and tropes, Gothic literature discusses madness, isolation, disease, nightmares, and death. Although in some stories, it also explores unmentionable topics such as murder, suicide, and incest. William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” is a story of a spinster woman who has killed her lover and lain for years beside his decaying body. The story deals with a murder caused by possessive love, and it elucidates the face of death which results in repulsion and compassion. “A Rose for Emily” represents Southern Gothic literature through descriptions of Emily, her house, necrophilia, and the theme of death. To begin with, the narrator portrays Emily Grierson as a once prominent member of the community. However, after the death of her father, she is pitied and often irritating, demanding to live life on her own terms. In the beginning of the story, the author describes her as looking “bloated, like a body long submerged in motionless water, and of that pallid hue. Her eyes, lost in the fatty ridges of her face, [look] like two small pieces of coal pressed into a lump of dough” (Faulkner 53). Being isolated from the outside world since her father died and Homer Barron, her lover, went...
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...‘Explore how Harper Lee describes the character of Miss Maudie’ The first time Harper Lee introduces Miss Maudie to the reader, Scout says that she spent the rest of her remaining twilights with her. This at once shows us that Miss Maudie isn’t like most adults in the book, who treat Scout like a child, because she is one whom Scout likes to be with and talk to. ‘I spent most of the remaining twilights that summer sitting with Miss Maudie.’ This shows us that Scout, who is quite an adventures child, is very comfortable with Miss Maudie, and Miss Maudie instead of treating Scout like a child treats her more like a friend. She is given off as an auntie figure to the children and it is shown within the book that she is very fond of them as they are of her. Harper Lee shows through a metaphor that Miss Maudie is very adaptable to her surroundings. ‘A chameleon lady who worked in her flower beds in an old straw hat and men’s coveralls, but after her five o’clock bath she would appear on the porch and reign over the street in her magisterial beauty.’ The word ‘magisterial’ Harper Lee uses to describe Miss Maudie once changed from her worker appearance to her more feminine appearance makes me think of how royal she would have looked and how the sudden change would appear to everyone else within the town who saw her. Miss Maudie takes pride in the appearance of her garden as well and it seems to me that because she has no children she treats her plants like children by devoting...
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...Maturity is essential for life and people go through different processes to achieve it. However many people never mature, and they lose themselves in childish worlds of ignorance. Empathy is an essential tool for reaching maturity, which is prevalent through Scout, a character in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. In her novel, Scout matures by following her father’s advice to “climb into his skin and walk around in it.” (39) Examining how Scout treats the Cunninghams, Mayella Ewell and Boo Radley, empathy allowing for maturity is clear. The way Scout treats the Cunninghams shows Scout maturing through empathy. Near the beginning of the novel, Walter Cunningham’s behavior at the dinner table disgusts Scout. Throughout the meal, Scout acts very disrespectful towards him. When questioned about her behavior, she claims that Walter “ain’t company… he’s just a Cunningham.” (33) However, after she learns more about the Cunninghams, Scout declares that “[s]oon’s school starts I’m gonna ask Walter home to dinner.”(299) This reveals the way Scout empathizes with the Cunninghams after learning more about them. Scout begins to understand how the Cunninghams feel when she “[tackles] his entailment once more in a last-ditch effort to make him feel at home.” (205) This moment shows how Scout has grown as a person Scout’s opinion on the lesser fortunate changes as she matures. Nowhere is this more plain then when she shows empathy towards Mayella Ewell. As Scout listens to her testimony,...
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...people loose innocence over time, like Jem and Scout. One of the key themes is definitely innocence and how even the most unexpected things can be innocent. In the beginning of the book examples of innocence are stated when Scout tries to explain to her teacher that she is embarrassing Walter Cunningham by offering him something that he won't be able to pay back. Scout realizes that because her teacher isn't a local, she won't know that about the Cunninghams, but Scout's explanation gets her into trouble. She wasn't trying to be insulting, but Miss Caroline mistook her frank and innocent explanation as condescension or rudeness and punished her for it. Another example is when Scout is too young to understand the social graces of Southern hospitality that say that you always make people feel at home and welcome no matter how unusual their habits may be. An additional example is when Atticus suggested they return the blanket to the Radley house, Jem poured out all the secrets they'd been keeping about their contact with Boo Radley and how Nathan found ways to prevent it. Jem didn't want to return the blanket because he didn't want to get Boo into trouble since he'd never done anything but help them out although he'd had plenty of...
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...It has often been said that death is a new type of life. People have debated on whether there is life after death, the nature of death, human emotion towards death, and what death exactly is for centuries. Throughout all known history, individuals have used literature, art, philosophy, and media to portray and justify a true view and accurate representation of the nature of death and all that it entails. This is no less true in southern gothic writing and in the writings of William Faulkner. Published on April 30, 1930 in a major magazine at the time, Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” showcases the life of Ms. Emily Grierson, a local townswoman, and is captured in a mysterious and eventually horrific context that allows the reader to understand the sadness and morbid side of death. The story is a set in a southern context that Faulkner knew all too well and contains implications of contrasts between northern and southern society. Faulkner uses many different elements in this work to portray death in its entire grotesque and horrifying splendor. Particularly, Faulkner uses two certain elements to accomplish this task. Faulkner successfully conveys the theme of the power of death in “A Rose for Emily” by incorporating the use of the literary elements of foreshadowing and narrative voice. Faulkner’s use of foreshadowing works to reveal the theme of death in this work rather well. The story is divided into five different passages, each detailing a progression towards death – the...
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...“To Kill a Mockingbird” Analysis Harper Lee published “To Kill a Mockingbird “ in 1960, a time buzzing with racial segregation and irrational injustice. She based the book on various events that were all to real, only fifty years ago. Throughout the book, the author captures these horrendous inequalities and is able to explore these subjects through various situations and characters. However, it is not always just the color of one’s skin as to the reason of why they are treated differently. Lee is able to display examples of prejudice based on class and status of a person, rather than race alone, through the use of abstract symbols through the use of characters. Harper Lee use birds to symbolize traits in various characters throughout the book. Although it is not just mockingbirds used as the only bird example. When Jem and Scout receive guns to shoot for fun, Atticus warns them against shooting mockingbirds. However, he states that they may shoot all the blue jays they desire. Blue jays are the nuance bird; this connects to Bob Ewell due to the fact that he is the perfect display of a blue jay. The blue jays represent the prejudiced citizens of Maycomb; they are ever present and continue to taunt others. Atticus goes on to tell the kids that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. The mockingbird is the innocent bird and therefore sums up Tom Robinson the most clearly. As being an innocent man that is only being tried due to his race, he embodies the mockingbird perfectly. Throughout...
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...Everyone has their own points of view. We also all have a common goal, that goal is to attempt to understand others. The only way to truly understand another person’s point of view is to empathize for them, to understand where they are coming from. In order to understand a person you need to understand how their life began, and how it unfolded to become the person they are today. Harper Lee, the author of To Kill A Mockingbird, brought two characters named Scout and Arthur Radley to life. They are two very unlikely people to become friends, but Harper Lee shows how you can be friends with anyone as long as you understand how they started out. Would you ever empathize for a person you never knew? The book To Kill A Mockingbird is based in the small secluded town of Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930s. During the great depression especially in a place like Maycomb money was very scarce. The people of this town understood what everyone was going through and mostly farmers were hit the hardest. Many people were very poor or close to it. There weren’t many jobs open to everyone who paid very well. Scout Finch the daughter of Atticus Finch didn’t quite understand this. Scout was always a bit behind the others in understanding certain topics. One thing she did understood was the Radley’s house on the corner was off limits. Scout and Jem always crossed it on their way back from school and they both ran past the Radley’s home. Atticus was very straight forward when telling Jem and Scout not...
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