There are many books and stories that fall under the genre of gothic literature. Then there is the southern gothic genre which has its own qualifications. The stories, “A Rose for Emily,” “The Book of the Grotesque,” “Good Country People,” and “Paper Pills” all meet the qualifications to be categorized as southern gothic pieces of literature. Now the question rises, “what makes these stories southern gothic”? All four of these stories use different southern gothic conventions. In the story, “A Rose for Emily,” the decay of characters and the setting acts as a southern gothic convention. In the story, “Good Country People,” the idea of macabre is a southern gothic convention. In the story, “The Book of the Grotesque,” grotesque itself acts as
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In this story, the character Manly Pointer is portrayed as having a strange involvement with injuries and medical problems. For example, when Manly Pointer is first introduced in the story, he states, “I got this heart condition. I may not live long. When you know it’s something wrong with you and you may not live long, well then, lady…” (4). This statement does not clearly prove his fascination with medical issues, however, it is an indication of where the story will go. Later, Manly Pointer seems to be very interested in Hulga’s wooden leg and then he tells her that he thinks that she is very brave and really sweet. Then when Manly Pointer has sweet talked Hulga enough, he asks her to meet him at the gate on Saturday. After they meet, they sit at the top of a barn for a while. Then, Manly Pointer tricks Hulga to show him how to remove her wooden leg and put it back on. Finally the truth is revealed. After begging Manly Pointer to put her wooden leg back on, he puts it in his valise. Then he states, ““One time I got a woman’s glass eye this way. And you needn’t to think you’ll catch me because Pointer ain’t really my name. I use a different name at every house I call at and don’t stay nowhere long” (9). The fact that “Manly Pointer” has taken a glass eye and now a wooden leg proves that he is very involved and fascinated with injuries and medical problems, which is a part of macabre. In …show more content…
She would not listen to them (12).
This statement shows the contrast of the customs of older generations and the rise of the new. Unlike other gothic stories, this story makes a progressive move by discussing modern changes, rather than sticking to the norm of gothic
In this story, the character Manly Pointer is portrayed as having a strange involvement with injuries and medical problems. For example, when Manly Pointer is first introduced in the story, he states, “I got this heart condition. I may not live long. When you know it’s something wrong with you and you may not live long, well then, lady…” (4). This statement does not clearly prove his fascination with medical issues, however, it is an indication of where the story will go. Later, Manly Pointer seems to be very interested in Hulga’s wooden leg and then he tells her that he thinks that she is very brave and really sweet. Then when Manly Pointer has sweet talked Hulga enough, he asks her to meet him at the gate on Saturday. After they meet, they sit at the top of a barn for a while. Then, Manly Pointer tricks Hulga to show him how to remove her wooden leg and put it back on. Finally the truth is revealed. After begging Manly Pointer to put her wooden leg back on, he puts it in his valise. Then he states, ““One time I got a woman’s glass eye this way. And you needn’t to think you’ll catch me because Pointer ain’t really my name. I use a different name at every house I call at and don’t stay nowhere long” (9). The fact that “Manly Pointer” has taken a glass eye and now a wooden leg proves that he is very involved and fascinated with injuries and medical problems, which is a part of macabre. In …show more content…
She would not listen to them (12).
This statement shows the contrast of the customs of older generations and the rise of the new. Unlike other gothic stories, this story makes a progressive move by discussing modern changes, rather than sticking to the norm of gothic