EDITORIAL: GOTHIC NOVELS

For years, I have always been a bit of a notorious reader; wherever I am, it is likely that a paperback is accompanying me. Recently, these books have usually fallen into a gothic genre. What I like about these is that, unlike other types of writing, unusual topics are often embraced in ways they wouldn’t normally be. By unusual, I mean that they are often filled with things like death and questionable characters. There are often many moments that will make you cringe, but that is where the horror aspect of gothic novels are shown. One famous novel that, in my opinion, has especially twisted characters is “As I Lay Dying,” which is based in the South. The location in this book makes it one of my favorites. With living in Georgia and Tennessee for all of my life, there is a certain level of resonance that I appreciate. This one comes to mind because of the course of events that is harmed so horribly by the characters as they change. The biggest reason that I have found for my fascination with these books is the constant question of sanity that appears in a decent number of them. The authors make it sometimes painful to read, but that is what drives you to turn the next page. The most important thing that I get from this overall genre is that there is still the ability for a reader to understand and empathize with characters, but only to a certain extent. To me, these books, even if sometimes extremely dramatic, reveal that the human experience is complicated and often dark. Sometimes it’s best to show that through a story about Frankenstein.