Southern Gothic Literary Analysis

Perhaps the most famous author of Southern Gothic literature, Flannery O'Connor’s short stories depict grotesque themes through the utilization of dark humour and damaged characters. In “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” the southern setting provides the perfect space for a distorted series of events, leading to the murder of an entire family. In “Everything That Rises Must Converge,” the character of various people are dissected in an attempt to understand each character’s southern personality. Lastly, “Enoch and the Gorilla,” focuses on the fragility of identity through the use of symbolism, allowing the reader to sympathize with Enoch, the main character. O’Connor’s employment of setting, character, and symbolism depict the very fundamentals of Southern Gothic literature, making her the greatest Southern author of her time. When referring to “the South,” a person will often imagine miles of fields, dirt roads, and the occasional plantation house. In “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” Flannery O’Connor depicts a vivid picture of this stereotype. While on a family road trip, the grandmother suggests a side-trip and leads them in the wrong direction; they end up lost along the
Julian, who in a way represents the “New South,” is disdainful of his mother, who represents the “Old South.” Julian’s mother refuses to take the bus alone since integration, and reminisces the days of her grandfather’s plantation, filled with slaves. In an attempt to upset her, Julian makes it a point to sit next to a black passenger. Their characters silently clash as Julian dreams of ways to defy her, until the sudden moment that his mother collapses, and his daydreams come to a screeching halt. These characters not only depict the personalities of common Southern Gothic characters, but the outcome of the story is nothing less than expected from the