Revisiting the Page

Hello, I know it has been a while. However, I have been going through some of the old writing projects I had done back when I was in college. There was one that I wanted to share and it was relative to the Gothic Novel.

Anyway, it was a collaborative essay but I figure it could be interesting to share given the topic and deep research that was done to complete it.

Without further ado:

The Allure of the Vampire: Devious, Deadly and Young

           Bram Stoker’s Dracula serves as a modern adaptation of the vampire that promotes a charming and sexualized manner. The vampire is not only plagued by an overwhelming obligation to engage in the cannibalistic act of drinking his victim’s blood, but he is also acting in the sexualized manner of physically consuming his partner. The Swedish film, Let the Right One In, takes a unique approach to this long-held notion. Rather than using the powerful, masculine image of the vampire, the film embodies Eli, a female child, with this monstrous burden. Because the film, Let the Right One In, portrays a female child vampire, there is a powerful dichotomy between Eli and Lucy that contrasts their frightening qualities. Both characters are vampires, but they showcase their predator prowess in drastically different ways. By portraying Eli as a child, she is viewed with an innocent mindset; however, her intentions and actions prove devious and deadly.  In comparison to Stoker’s older, masculine image of Dracula, Eli’s existence as a child-like vampire is much more terrifying because she visibly portrays death and she lacks self-control which makes her a deadly killer.

           Considering the shared qualities of Dracula and Eli, it is important to understand the evolution of the vampire mythology that appears in Gothic/Horror novels. First, according to vampire lore, historically, these creatures are meant to be bloodless cadavers with fire-red eyes and dead white faces; in addition, vampires have long canines, blood-red lips, long fingernails, hairy palms, foul breath, and they usually possess a stench of death although they lack any signs of decay (Summers 282). Considering Stoker’s physical description of Count Dracula, his vampire is described, by Jonathan Harker, as an old man with “hairs in the centre of [his] palm” with “nails [that are] long and fine, and cut to a sharp point” and, Harker expresses that the Count’s “breath [is] rank” (Stoker 24).  With these details in place, Bram Stoker establishes the physical traits that make the Count fall into the tradition of vampire mythology.

           When it comes to the film Let the Right One In, Eli upholds the convention of the vampire since many of her attributes can be traced to Count Dracula’s own. The film emphasizes the bloodless and colorless nature of Eli through only highlighting her blood red lips. This shocking attribute makes her alluring for her victims. Although she appears to be a mere child, her lips draw in and charm her victims. Dracula is also known to have this seductive attribute. However, not all of Eli’s characteristics can be drawn directly from stories of Dracula. When Dracula goes without consuming blood, he ages. When Eli goes without consuming blood, she begins to physically rot and smell. After Eli is shown feeding on her victim’s blood, she becomes almost rejuvenated. This deliberate change makes Eli an even more terrifying vampire. Instead of simply aging, she is now connected quite literally to death. Furthermore, there is also the question of whether Eli’s femininity causes her to be more terrifying than Dracula.

           Since Oskar perceives Eli as a feminine girl, his thought of her being a blood-sucking vampire is incredible since he looks at her as an innocent child. Throughout the movie, Eli is looked upon as a girl by her friend Oskar and when she informs him that she is not a girl, he does not really believe her. However, Eli is the epitome of everything that incorporates a vampire: terrifying, violent, unmerciful and a killer. There is no real need to specify her gender because just knowing that she can overpower and drink anyone’s blood without blinking is enough. On the other hand, Bram Stoker’s female vampire, Lucy, is clearly a woman, albeit a frightening one. Essentially, Lucy’s vampirism is horrific because of who she once was and what she meant to everyone that loved her. After all, she was the beloved golden girl with the beautiful “sunny ripples” (Stoker). As a vampire, she is still a woman that has the potential of blindsiding anyone with her beauty – it is the way she is able to lure all those children as prey because Lucy’s femininity is her weapon while Eli’s is strength and fear.

              Although Eli presents herself as a strong and capable vampire, there are moments in the film when she is perceived as weak. For instance, she needs a human male to protect her and ensure that she will be regularly fed. Once her elderly caretaker is gone, she no longer has control over her actions when her blood hunger takes over, so she must find a new protector. This is why Eli continues to charm her way into Oskar’s emotions and she defends him when he is getting attacked by bullies in order to gain his trust. By the end of the film, Eli has acquired Oskar’s absolute devotion which causes him to become a lone wanderer just like herself. Essentially, Eli cannot control herself from killing people and drinking their blood which is why she needs a living caretaker to ensure her survival in a human world.

         Overall, the Swedish film, Let the Right One In, embraces a unique portrayal of the vampire since Eli appears to be a young girl that visibly lacks humanity, making her a vicious and cannibalistic killer. When the film is compared to Bram Stoker’s Dracula, some stark differences are noticed because Stoker’s vampire is older and masculine while Eli is younger and feminine. Her youthful appearance is meant to deceive audiences into underestimating her abilities. They are shocked to discover Eli’s cold-blooded and devious nature. This notion of a child-like vampire carelessly murdering victims shocks audiences into discovering the ageless and deadly universal nature of the vampire.

Works cited

Let the Right One In. Dir. Tomas Alfredson. Perf. Kare Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson,

Per Ragnar. Sandrew Metronome, 2008. Film.

Melton, J. Gordon. Vampires: A Chronology.  http://www.afn.org/~vampires/timeline.html.          Vampire Junction, n.d. Web. 24 September 2013.

Summers, Montague. The Vampire in Lore and Legend. New York: Dover, 2001. Print.

Stoker, Bram. Dracula. Eds. Nina Auerbach and David J Skal New York: Norton, 1997.            Print.

The Gothic

Hello, once again.

Just before Halloween, I would like to post this clip that features Professor John Bowen discussing Gothic novels and some of the key motiffs that are often seen in this genre.

As a genre form of literature, it is important to pay attention to some of these elements, so you can use them for your own Gothic writing. This instruction also helps you to understand why certain tropes repeat themselves in Gothic/horror books and films.

In addition, if you ever feel curious enough to take a class on Gothic literature, you will already be ahead of your classmates after you see this video. Enjoy.

http://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/videos/the-gothic

The Importance of Gothic Setting

When reading the Gothic genre, it is crucial to understand the architecture that it is named after since the narratives will often refer to a specifically detailed setting. In a way, these references are a nod to the architecture, whether or not the author realizes it.

I would like to start with some basic models:

In these images, you can see how the rounded arches turn into pointed arches with ribbed vaults. This is something that can be seen in Gothic cathedrals and castles.

Some more examples:

Just look at how exaggerated this architecture feels when you rest your eyes upon it. Doesn’t it feel like it goes on forever? It is almost as if your own imagination is able to process and grow inside of it. What if you imagined some people living here? What if you decided to use this same concept for a house? Now, you can slightly see how a haunted house might have evolved from this concept. Or, even a haunted forest could have replicated this same feeling for the same purpose. Now, imagine how authors and poets felt during the Gothic Revival period in the 19th Century. It is due to the wonders of nature, as well as the wonders of man’s inventive imagination, that allow such concepts to exist.

So, when you read a Gothic/Horror novel, pay attention to the setting. The descriptions might seem even more relevant now. Then again, the devil is in the details. Heh-heh. Get it?

Gothic Short Stories vs. Novels

Gothic novels like Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Bram Stoker’s Dracula hold onto familiar archetypes while also exploring their characters’ encounters with supernatural elements. Between these two novels, there is a clear progress with the characters. In Frankenstein, Shelley shows her protagonist, Victor, descend into madness while Stoker leads a narrative that illustrates the existence of a vampire that is eventually defeated by the heroes in the novel.

Although Gothic novels have traditionally explored characters and their struggles with supernatural horrors, the short story has changed the genre by cutting back on details and relying more on fast paced concepts. For example, H.P. Lovecraft’s The Shunned House is a Gothic short story that provides the traditional archetypes found in Stoker and Shelley’s novels; however, there is a lot less detail surrounding the character’s backgrounds as well as swift conclusions.

In the beginning, H.P. Lovecraft uses setting to establish the Gothic narrative in the story by heavily describing the abandoned house that has had several consistent death occurrences throughout its history.

Early on, Lovecraft has his protagonist describe the house as “unutterably hideous” as he goes on to list the several physical attributes to the architecture, including a foul smelling fungi in the cellar (Lovecraft 189). Further, there is a description of a “vaporous corpse-light, yellow and diseased… half human and half monstrous… form” within the walls of the house (208). By showing this creature, Lovecraft relates to Dracula and Frankenstein since he has a supernatural monster in his story.

However, unlike these novels, Lovecraft’s short story does not detail this monster like Mary Shelley does for her own creature. In addition, there is no historical background for Lovecraft’s monster and there is no long, eventful description of the protagonist’s endeavor to destroy this evil existence. Overall, The Shunned House is compacted and spends its time explaining the Gothic setting as the center of horrible occurrences only to have it destroyed by the end.

Descent into Madness

The definition of horror is the ultimate strive for success that leads an individual into a blank state of mind and results in a loss of morality and reason. Even worse, when a person becomes engulfed in compulsion while trying to succeed, failure is likely to occur since a loss of self-control ultimately creates the pathway to a downfall.

This is what the protagonists in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Stephen King’s The Shining experience. Essentially, both Victor Frankenstein and Jack Torrance attempt to achieve greatness in one way or another by isolating themselves which leads them into madness.

When it comes to Mary Shelley’s protagonist, Victor Frankenstein, the compulsion to succeed as a natural philosopher represents the  definition of horror since his loss of morality becomes his downfall. An example of this is shown when Victor listens to his chemistry professor, M. Waldman, explain the failures of past scientists.

As the lecture goes on, Victor explains, in the third person, that “the soul of Frankenstein” will achieve “far more” than his predecessors by “treading in the steps already marked” (Shelley 28). From there, Victor declares that he “will pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation” (Shelley 28).

With this declaration, Victor establishes his will for success which forces him into isolation when he starts to create the monster. In the end, Victor’s obsession for knowledge and exploration leads him to die as a failed scientist just like the ones before him.

Similarly, Jack Torrance is set up to fail as a protagonist because of the desperation he feels to succeed as a writer. Although Jack seeks inspiration for his writing, he also struggles with anger management and alcoholism which already creates a negative disposition for his relation to Wendy and Danny. In need of a job, Jack gets himself hired as a caretaker to the Overlook Hotel in Colorado and he accepts the position with the belief that isolation will help him accomplish his goal.

Despite Jack’s personal flaws, Mr. Ullman explains that “the winters are fantastically cruel” and the isolation that a previous caretaker experienced, while living with his family, ended in “a horrible tragedy” (King 9).  Mr. Ullman’s background information on the hotel foreshadows what is to come for Jack and his family since he is already corruptible. Ultimately, Victor Frankenstein and Jack Torrance both represent the definition of horror because they both strive for personal achievements; however, they also sacrifice their own families and lives in order to achieve these goals.

Is this trailer for The Shining maybe like the best movie trailer ever?https://t.co/vP10UtwGV1

— Tim Cassedy (@vicesimusknox) April 26, 2014

Let the Right One In

Based on the novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist, this film is one of my favorite vampire flicks because of the dark story line. Although the movie has its grotesque and horrifying features, there is a sort of innocence that goes along with it. In the beginning of the story, the audience is introduced to a boy named Oskar whom is bullied and helpless until he meets Eli, his vampire companion. Throughout the story, there is a romance and tension that builds between the two main characters until Eli’s urge to protect Oskar  leads into the climactic moment that forever changes the both of them. Overall, this book and movie is a complex story and I highly recommend it.

Taming Nature

Ever since the ancient times, manmade structures have been a symbol of power since the technology required to build often includes domination over nature. By using natural resources, humans are able to create products, like steel and concrete, in order to produce buildings that impede on surrounding nature. For centuries, these constructions were meant to provide shelter and protection from the outside elements while also maintaining the notion of control. However, the moment when a manmade structure invokes terror into its inhabitants is when an outside and uncontrollable force begins to take over it. Whether it be human or nonhuman, the idea that a population could succumb into an unmanageable state is frightening.

(Boccardo Business Building)

Despite this fear, humans continue to build these powerful structures in order to claim victory over the natural land around them. For instance, the buildings at San Jose State University represent this idea that humans are able to maintain authority over the land it stands on. The Boccardo Business Center is an excellent portrayal of man versus nature because of its towering presence despite the obstruction of trees and shrubs surrounding it. Another structure on the university that represents this notion is the area between the Spartan Center and the Faculty Offices. Essentially, the trees and the grass are trapped between two structures and they are routinely maintained by the campus so there is no chance of overgrowing plant life.

(Faculty Offices)

Although these two areas of the San Jose State campus represent man’s dominion over nature, they also portray terror. In this sense, the Boccardo building is a prototype of terror since trees and shrubs obstruct the image almost as a reminder that nature will one day reclaim what was once taken from it. The small area of greenery around the Faculty Offices also serves as a representative of terror for the same reason – it is a reminder that nature will, one day, take over. Ultimately, when plants are no longer maintained, they will overgrow these structures and remove man’s control over the land.

More Gothic elements

In my previous posts, I have written about the Gothic elements by discussing the tropes that exist in novels. Now, I would like to look at the basic elements that build this genre as a whole.

First, I will start with the Gothic setting. The Gothic novel is an architectural genre that relies on the use of medieval castles, cathedrals, cemeteries, and other haunted settings (such as mansions).

Even in more modern forms of the literature, the “castle” is depicted through the use of the haunted house (mostly because Americans don’t have castles).

Essentially, when Horace Walpole wrote The Castle of Otranto, England was going through a time period known as the Gothic Revival and it was vital to the creation of this form of literature. The castle in Walpole’s novel is used as a tool to drive the plot since the architecture embodies the curse on Manfred’s family and it houses supernatural events throughout the text.

In Stoker’s Dracula, the castle is used to house the vampire in a similar way and it represents an architectural nexus to the past. The Overlook Hotel in Stephen King’s The Shining may not be a literal castle, but it also has the same approach.

Although the Gothic novel heavily relies on the setting, I would also like to discuss the importance of Romanticism in the genre. The Romantic era is a literary period that begins towards the end of the 1700’s and lasts through the 19th Century.

This period is also known to include famous poets like Byron, Coleridge, Keats, and Percy Shelley. In essence, the Romantic era refers to picturesque settings to portray the exotic as well as horror and terror which is seen in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein when Victor ends up in the arctic.

After the setting and Romanticism, I would like to explain the importance of divine power. This element has a lot to do with the apparitions and supernatural powers that are often portrayed in the Gothic genre. In addition, they are used as tools against evil like in Stoker’s Dracula where crucifixes, holy water, and blessed wafers become weapons against the vampire.

Apart from divine power, there is one more part of this genre that creates a sense of awe and fear in each Gothic story. This element is known as Orientalism. The concept of this term was introduced by Edward Said and also written about in Linda Nochlin’s The Imaginary Orient. 

Essentially, it is the idealized portrayal of Eastern, “exotic” cultures by the West in literature and art. Usually, it reinforces negative stereotypes and depicts the East as barbaric and promotes the West. 

For example, this concept is seen in Bram Stoker’s Dracula since the vampire comes from the exotic East and is depicted as violating the West once he shows up in England. By the end of the novel, it is the Westerners that triumph over the Eastern vampire.

Altogether, the Gothic genre is full of several complex elements that have continued to build and add on to this vast collection of literature. I also believe that it is this particular structure that keeps readers like myself enthralled in the world of imagination.

Dreams in Gothic Fiction

Whenever I dream, I always think of little apparitions that come and go whenever I close my eyes. Frequently, I remember these dreams as fragments of multiple narratives that could eventually become a complete story. For Mary Shelley and Stephen King, the same concept seems to be true since both authors famously wrote their novels (Frankenstein and The Shining) while in a dream state.

In Shelley’s case, she often drew inspiration for her writing whenever she indulged “in waking dreams” which she describes as “the formation of a succession of imaginary incidents” (Shelley). Considering her definition of dreams, it is no surprise that Mary Shelley often referred to them when it came to writing her stories.

Even for her novel, Frankenstein, Shelley admits that dreams played a heavy role throughout the creative process. An example of this is written in the novel’s 1831 edition when Shelley describes an “acute mental vision” consisting of a “hideous phantasm of a man” that stirs “with an uneasy, half-vital motion” (Shelley).

In addition, the narrative that Shelley describes, from the dream, is livid enough to create a horror story that delves into the fear of the author’s mind. Personally, I could imagine myself gaining inspiration to write from a dream like this one since the images are so specific and horrifying.

For Stephen King, The Shining portrays an isolated setting that consists of a winter storm forcing a family of three to remain in a Colorado hotel – the end result is Jack Torrance losing his sanity and trying to kill his family.

Although Stephen King’s dream state was drug-induced, I can see a connection between his novel,The Shining, and Shelley’s Frankenstein. Both novels are meant to explore the nightmarish world that the authors experienced in one way or the other.

Even though The Shining is fictional, the idea of being trapped inside a building with an axe-murderer is frightening especially when it is in combination with supernatural occurrences. In other words, Stephen King’s story feels like a projection of the author’s personal nightmares and fears similar to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein which is also grotesque in its own way.

Introduction and meaning of “gothic”

I love reading books. Particularly, I enjoy reading books from the Gothic genre. But, whenever I say the word “gothic,” the response that I usually get is “what are you talking about?” or “do you mean those people with heavy make up and black hair?”

Although I do not blame anyone for this assumption, I would like to shed some light on the word’s actual meaning especially when it is applied to literature.

First, I would like to talk about the history of the term by answering the following questions: Where does the word “gothic” come from? And, how does this background provide the foundation for the genre?

To answer the first question, the word “gothic” comes from a Germanic tribe that migrated from south Sweden during the 3rd and 4th Centuries. Around that time, the Goths had become influential in world events since they brought down the Roman Empire and the Huns. 

Later on, the Visigoths  went on to rule Spain and France before they eventually disappeared during the Middle Ages. From the Goths, an entire art and architectural movement took over in Europe which led to the construction of cathedrals and paintings.

By the 19th Century, this medieval style resurfaced in England during a movement called the Gothic Revival. 

Within the same period, Horace Walpole went down in literary history after he published the first Gothic novel, The Castle of Otranto. 

It is Walpole’s story that began the genre’s tradition and it inspired later novels, like Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Even today, this form of storytelling resurfaces again and again in several types of media (including books, movies, shows, etc). 

On this blog, I want to discuss Gothic novels as well as the elements that help shape the entire genre. In addition, I would like to see how these tropes change over time.