The Gothic elements Harper Lee introduced into her novel,
To Kill a Mockingbird--primarily centered around the Boo Radley
subplot and the Radley house--add a bit of horror and mystery to the story prior to the
Tom Robinson trial. Traditional elements of Gothic fiction (in this case, Southern
Gothic) usually include portions of horror, romance and
melodrama.
The effect of Gothic fiction feeds on a pleasing
sort of terror, an extension of Romantic literacy pleasures... Melodrama and parody
(including self-parody) were other long-standing features... the literary Gothic
embodies an appreciation of the joys of extreme emotion, the thrills of fearfulness and
awe inherent in the sublime, and a quest for
atmosphere.
Gothic
fiction also includes a setting with ancient buildings, and in
TKAM, the Radley house fills that requirement. All of the major
elements of the genre are included. Jem, Scout and Dill thrill themselves with the
thought of just getting a glimpse of the mysterious Boo. Passing by the Radley house
each day on the way to school is an act of bravery to them. Touching the Radley house or
setting foot on the property takes their courage a step further. The gifts from the
knothole, the mended pants and the warming blanket around Scout's shoulders are exciting
events to the children. The element of romance is even included with the budding
childhood love between Dill and Scout.
No comments:
Post a Comment