Category: Coffeehouse #3 (Page 1 of 2)

1. One of the points I am noting is that gothic usually includes “a pushing of extremes and excess (cruelty, rapacity, fear, passion and sexual degradation” (Page 5)

2. The gothic often explores concepts of religious profanities, demonism, occultism, incest, etc. Which could be perceived as “the dark side of enlightenment free-thinking” (Page 6)

3. In gothic stories, extreme states and actions can usually correlate with fears and social anxieties which may stem as a reaction to concealed traumas and guilts that have been suppressed. (Page 6-7)

4. Setting in American gothic stories is oftentimes used as both a metaphor and the representation of itself (such as mountains). Landscapes were usually focused on the “inhuman and pitiless” of mountains, wastelands, etc. (Page 7)

5. American gothic stories usually showcase social, political, and class fears. For instance, some stories may include the general distaste of collective groups such as homosexuals, Indians, Asians, etc. (Page 9).

5 Main ideas

Page 1. The beginning of Gothic Fiction from the realistic traditional fiction.

Page 3. Shows the extremes that gothic fiction pushes towards.

Page 4. The background information that is presented to show the relation in real life

Page 5: exploring extreme whether of cruelty, rapacity and fear, or passion and sexual degradation

Page 7. Setting creates a mysterious atmosphere

1.) The background information given prior as to how it relates to the real life occurrences today (page 4).

2.) The Gothic includes pushing towards extremes, whether they are cruelty, rapacity and fear, or passion and sexual degradation (page 5).

3.) The free-thinking characters that appear frequently in the Gothic are generally up to no-good, disbelieving in the significance of virginity (page 5).

4.) The acknowledgment of the continuing existence of magic, religious and demonic forces within a more and more secular society (page 6).

5.) Among the most striking features of the Gothic genre is the style of the architectural settings, often as medievalist (page 7).

1. Page 3: Gothic representation of extreme circumstances of terror, oppression and persecution, darkness and obscurity of setting 
2. Page 4: background info on presenting 
3. Page 5: exploring extreme whether of cruelty, rapacity and fear, or passion and sexual degradation 
4.   4. Page 6: gothic merges with the supernatural 
5. Page 6-7: Significant among these are fears having to do with the suppressions of past traumas and guilt, anxieties concerning class and gender

“Assumed that Gothic Fiction began as a lurid offshoot from a dominant tradition of largely realist and morally respectable fiction” Page 1

“Certain unique, cultural pressures led Americans to the Gothic as an expression of the very different conditions” Page 2

“The sensationalism of this at first almost universally deplored yet extremely popular form of writing allowed a vicarious experience of forbidden excess, with punishment and retribution offered in the eventual return to psychic normality” page 3

“Among the extremes and taboos that the Gothic explores are religious profanities, demonism, occultism, necromancy, and incest. This can be interpreted as a dark side of Enlightenment free thinking.” Page 4

“Among the most striking features of the Gothic genre is the style of its architectural setting. In early Gothic these were often medievalist, involving ancient stone building with elaborate, “Gothic” arches, buttresses, passageways and crypts” Page 5

Extreme cruelty, degradation, and fear (Middle of page 5)

Good vs evil (Top of page 6)

Taboos of religious profanity, demonism, and necromancy. (Middle of page 6)

The setting is an old dark place with secret passages and holds mystery. ( Middle of page 7)

The importance of emotions such as terror is needed to set the correct mood.(page 8)

ALEXHA CHARLES

Write down the five most important ideas in this chapter. 

1. Landscapes: Smith speaks about wastelands and pitiless nature. (p.5)
2. American Pressure: Smith says that this was frontier experience, solitude violence, absence of “developed society”, along with racial issues. (p.2)
3. Pushing Towards Extremes: As Smith states, “Gothic tends to reinforce culturally prescribed doctrines of morality and propriety”. (p.3)
4. Dark side of Enlightenment: Gothic explores religious profanities, occultism, necromancy, etc. (p.6)
5. Classes: Middle classes displaying violence. Abuse of power from aristocracy, religious tyrants. (p.7)

1. The architectural setting is an important idea of what defines the gothic style. The medievalist structures such as passageways, labyrinths, trapdoors, and arches are used to create the atmosphere and describe the setting which is a crucial element. (Page 7)
2. The landscapes are an important element of gothic literature. They further develop the setting and atmosphere. Mountains, cages, and wastelands all can be possible settings. These landscapes are sometimes used metaphorically to describe a simple setting to turn it gothic, while other times they are actually used. (Page 7)
3. The essence of gothic literature is a push towards exploring extreme and excessive limits of elements such as fear, cruelty, and rapacity. The gothic style aims to reinforce morality and propriety in the conclusion. Pushing the boundaries on these extreme elements in the writing serves to reinforce morality and propriety. (Page 5)
4. The extremes that gothic explores also consists of taboos such as demonism, necromancy, occultism, and religious profanities. These elements contribute to the dark side of gothic writing and tie in with the existence of supernaturalism that is ultimately explained, which is a constant formula used in gothic literature. (Page 6)
5. The existence of fear, horror, and terror which build the overall mood and tone of the story which keeps the reader on edge is a very important idea that is crucial to the gothic style. It goes hand in hand with the dark elements to create an impact. (Page 8)

The five most important ideas from Alan Lloyd-Smith’s “American Gothic”, in my opinion, are:

1. Substitution (Middle of Page 4)
2. Influences that real life circumstances are based off of (Middle of Page 4)
3. Human struggles used in popular media (Bottom of Page 4 to Top of Page 5)
4. “Good versus Evil” (Bottom of Page 5 to Top of Page 6)
5. Science and the Supernatural (Middle of Page 6)

1- One out of the 5 more important ideas in the article was the information given prior to relate to now. (Page 4)

2- second most important idea was the use of degradation, cruelty and many more of those negative ideas (page 5)

3- Third most important idea was the supernatural sequences that happens, magic and more of that type of supernatural (Page 6)

4- Forth important idea is also women in distress, as a male figure has to come and recuse (page 7)

5- The last important idea is suspense and having people on their toes when reading (Page 8)