Southern Gothic - Extra Resources
The Oxford Research Encyclopedia notes the Southern Gothic genre as one that includes "the presence of irrational, horrific, and transgressive thoughts, desires, and impulses; grotesque characters; dark humor, and an overall angst-ridden sense of alienation." While these gothic themes are present in literature from around the world, the Southern gothic is rooted in this region's tensions and unique outlook on tradition and progress.
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Below, you will find a video essay by the YouTuber Plagued by Visions, explaining more in depth what the genre means, as well as how and what to read:
Suggested Reading in the Southern Gothic Genre
This is only a small fraction of Southern Gothic writers and stories, but it is a good place to start if you are interested in reading more of the defining pieces of this eclectic genre. More suggested titles can be found here.
Author: Flannery O'Connor
Works include the short story collections A Good Man is Hard to Find and Everything That Rises Must Converge, and her novels Wise Blood and The Violent Bear it Away. O'Connor was known for incorporating her Catholic faith and grotesque violence into her stories.
Author:
Carson McCullers
Novels include The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Clock Without Hands, Reflections in a Golden Eye and The Member of the Wedding. Other works include the short story collections are The Ballad of the Sad Cafe. McCullers was born in Georgia, and many of her works are set in the Deep South.
Author: William Faulkner
Faulkner is well known in American literature, and many of his works center around Tennessee, where he spent his life. In addition to being a writer, Faulkner is also a credited screenwriter. Some of his works include As I Lay Dying, Absalom, Absalom! and Go Down, Moses.