She associated Southern Gothic-a label commonly associated with William Faulkner's work, and the works inspired by it-with fiction that depicted human 'degeneracy' in the South.īecause of O'Connor's religious perspective, she always emphasized that her work was interested more in the light that could come through in moments of darkness, and was meant to inspire hope and meditation rather than horror or disgust. O'Connor rejected the label 'Southern Gothic' for the same reasons she rejected the idea that her writing was 'grotesque' (see 'Writing Style' for more on this). Plus, the whole sequence of events-ending up in exactly the wrong place because of misplaced memory and a disturbed cat-just feels too convenient for the story to ever actually happen. Finally, although there's not anything obviously 'supernatural' in the story (a common but not required element of Gothic fiction), there is a potentially supernatural moment of grace. Let's not forget The Misfit himself, who's a terrifying killer without a conscience.though we do see what may be the beginnings of a moral transformation at the end of the story. The scenery-the dirt road in the middle of nowhere that's supposed to lead to an old plantation house, the looming forests, the family trapped alone in a ditch-could also be right out of a horror movie. It's even suggested The Misfit might come to that very place. And, just to make sure we don't forget about the element of danger, The Misfit is also mentioned at Red Sammy's.

There's a looming sense of darkness, suspense, and foreboding about the story, which is established right at the beginning when the grandmother reads about The Misfit in the newspaper.

(Want to know more? We have a whole Lit Crit guide on Southern Gothic.)Īnd we think the definition of the Southern Gothic genre fits 'A Good Man Is Hard To Find' like a glove-the tattered lace glove of a disappointed heiress on a haunted plantation. For many readers, To Kill a Mockingbird was their first encounter with Southern Gothic. Think moldering old mansions.in Mississippi. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960) The Southern Gothic genre is home to many of the 20th century’s literary greats: William Faulkner, Flannery O’Connor, Barry Hannah, Zora Neale Hurston, and, of course, Harper Lee. Southern Gothic combines many of the elements of Gothic fiction with distinctively Southern overtones.

Southern gothic literature elements