The theme of haunting is commonly associated with Gothic literature, which originated in the mid-eighteenth century and spanned most of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Horace Walpole’s ‘The Castle of Otranto’ encompasses both romanticism and haunting themes. Edmund Burke suggests that pleasure is gained from being exposed to the Sublime. When fear is close enough to sense, but still removed from reality the emotion derived from this pain releases pleasure. Morrison incorporates a much more complex take on the haunting as her novel conveys a deeper message to the audience. The use of the narrative technique combined with supernatural imagery allows her to express the attitudes and feelings of society towards slavery in a much more powerful
