Fear is a guiding force in both the short stories and the fixation the main characters with it only leads to their demise. With both terror and the supernatural being common conventions in most gothic fiction Gothic Fiction is a popular genre of literature that’s aim is to combine horror, fiction and romanticism. It originated in 18th century England and was said to have been founded through Horace Walpole’s novel “The Castle of Otranto” (Hughes). He claimed it to be a “found” medieval manuscript which added to its popular, although he later admitted it was a lie (Hughes). This mode of literature appears to have sprung out from Gothic architecture... ... middle of paper ... ...th possess conventions commonly demonstrated in gothic fiction surrounding setting, atmosphere and theme.
Super natural appearances and effects, such as ghost’s and monsters are a part of all people’s deepest fears whether they want to admit it or not. The elements of Gothic literature tap into our need for the agony between what’s real and what’s fantasy. I even think that it releases and reflects our need to search for the identity of our inner Gothic. Now a days Gothic is looked at as a way people dress and being weird almost in a way of it being a disease in the brain. Gothics weren't always perceived in that way, it was a way that allowed people to express their true beliefs, desires and most importantly their inner fears.