Eerie Elements in Modern Retellings of Classic Gothic Tales by Erinn Bentley & Roy Jackson
Erinn Bentley is a Professor of English Education at Columbus State University, where she mentors pre-service teachers and graduate students. Also serving as Associate Director at CSU’s Center for Global Engagement, Erinn enjoys developing and leading study abroad programs for education majors. | Roy Edward Jackson is an Assistant Professor of Education at Goshen College, specializing in literacy education. In his spare time, he loves getting lost in the woods with his dog. |
According to Harpole (1999), “...a Gothic tale usually takes place...in an antiquated or seemingly antiquated space....[and] within this space....are hidden some secrets from the past (sometimes the recent past) that haunt the characters, psychologically, physically, or otherwise” (p.2). These hauntings, ghosts, or monsters are not inserted into the novel as mere thrill factors. Rather, these beings or occurrences are supernatural manifestations of “the unconscious” - representing what is psychologically buried within the characters themselves or representing “deep-seated social and historical dilemmas” (Harpole, 1999, p. 3). As a result, as readers are drawn into these eerie worlds, they also enter the characters’ minds to vicariously both survive and discover the true meaning behind the horror.
In addition to classic Gothic texts, this genre is quite prevalent in adolescent literature. Del Nero (2018) posits, “part of the appeal of the Gothic to adolescents is that like the developmental stage, the Gothic is a genre of in-betweenness" (p. 392). These characters border two worlds, whether they are people marginalized because of gender, race, or physical/mental capabilities or are ghosts or other creatures living in supernatural and actual realms (Farnell, 2009). Weaving together classic Gothic elements of mystery, horror, and romance, this week’s chosen novels also explore universal YA themes, including what it means to be in-between childhood and adulthood, which can – at times – be somewhat horrifying.
Written in epistolary form, there is something quite intimate about the structure of the novel reading Jack’s letters to his friends and father as he questions his sanity and surroundings. He ruminates, as does the reader, in the surroundings without the distractions of the phone to confirm or ease his fears. The sense of isolation from the original text plays well in this tech free island that Prose has created as Jack cannot text his fears in real time but must craft handwritten letters and wait for response. The absence of phones or the internet intensifies the Gothic mood, allowing fear to fester unchallenged. Additionally, the gender swap of the protagonist offers a fresh and engaging update to this classic tale.
Del Nero, J. R. (January/February 2018). Embracing the other in Gothic texts: Cultivating understanding in the reading classroom. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 61,(4), 391-399.
Farnell, G. (2009). The Gothic and the thing. Gothic Studies, 11,(1), 113-123. https://doi.0rg/10.7227/G
Hogle, J. E. (2002). Introduction: the Gothic in Western culture. In J.E. Hogle (Ed.), The Cambridge companion to Gothic fiction (pp.1-20). Cambridge University Press.