By William Faulkner

 Southern Gothic Literature is a sub-genre of gothic literature
(think Poe!) focusing on character, social and moral shortcomings in the American south; it reached its height between 1940-1960s.

 Often comments on society’s negatives or weaknesses to point out truths of America’s southern culture
 Often disturbing but realistic

 Plot relies on unusual, disturbing, supernatural, or ironic events
 “A Rose for Emily” provides a good example of Southern
Gothic Literature using unusual events to guide the plot

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Grotesque Characters or Situations– deeply flawed
- characters, decayed (often rural) settings, evil or disturbing events (often linked to racism, poverty, violence, moral corruption)
Examples:
1. A character’s negatives/undesirable characteristics allow the author to show/comment on unpleasant aspects of southern culture. - racial bigotry, crushing poverty, violence, moral corruption or ambiguity
2. Something physical in the setting is unusual and often broken

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Old South versus New South
 Emily represents the Old South
 Old traditions –
 Example: Miss Emily is told by Colonel
Sartoris that she is excused from paying taxes
 A man’s word is his bond
 Chivalry
 Hospitality
 Sense of community/family
 Honor
 Loyalty

 Decorum and propriety: what is proper at a given time and place.
* Appearances are very important.

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Setting: time and location in which a story takes place
 Customs and social conditions of the time
 Ex: Racial stereotyping in the South
Irony: Unexpected twist in a story
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Verbal
Situational
Dramatic
Tone: The attitude the writer takes toward the subject of a work, the characters in it, or the audience.
Mood: Feeling WE get when we read a story

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First Person: One of the characters tells the story; talks directly to the reader
Uses the pronoun “I,” “me,” “we,” or “us”
Third Person Limited: The narrator will focus on the thoughts & feelings of just one character
- Reader experiences the events of the story through the memory and senses of only one character
Third-Person Omniscient- “All-knowing”
- An all-knowing narrator who refers to all the characters as
“he” and “she.” Knows the thoughts and feelings of ALL of the characters.
*The narrator is not necessarily the story’s author*

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 remitted paid edict an official order archaic out-of-date vindicated proven to be right pauper poor, destitute noblesse oblige nobility obliges
(and obligates) circumvent to go around cabal small group of conspirators
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 virulent powerful, deadly impervious immune tranquil quiet, peaceful perverse odd, not normal sibilant hissing macabre horrible, grotesque acrid pall a bitter, irritating odor a deathly quiet cuckolded betrayed (a man by his wife) inextricable impossible to be separated from