Critical Insights: Critical Insights: Southern Gothic Literature (PDF)

Edited by Dr. Jay Ellis, Senior Instructor at the University of Colorado-Boulder, recognized as one of the leading authorities in Cormac McCarthy criticism, this volume seeks to extend the scope and diversity of literature that constitutes the genre, drawing upon representative themes, grounded in the diverse, often troubled history of the South, while introducing new perspectives and twists to the form, such as in the work of zombie literature as a generative trope. The introduction of poetry, in readings on Allen Tate, James Dickey, and Donald Justice, among others, into what has been a genre defined by fiction represents the originality of the volume. This collection will also consider the geographical significance of the genre within the broader field Southern literature. Defining genres remains a complex task, and these chapters will provide for readers the constitutive terms to locate, both geographically and metaphorically, the Southern Gothic. Among contributors are Henry Lowell Carrigan, Sharon L. Decker, Michal Sverak, and Ronja Vieth.

As supplemental material to support readers, this volume includes a list of literary works not mentioned in the book and a bibliography of critical sources for readers seeking to study this timeless theme in greater depth.