Leeds Beckett University
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Haunted American Blood: The Gothic Fictions of William Faulkner, Ralph Ellison, and Toni Morrison

thesis
posted on 2025-01-29, 15:47 authored by Jordan CunninghamJordan Cunningham
This study seeks to investigate the extent to which American literature is inherently Gothic. Its significance lies in shedding light on the relevance of history to Gothic literature, particularly in revealing the American Gothic's distinctiveness. The study focuses on the American Gothic mode in the works of three writers, William Faulkner, Ralph Ellison, and Toni Morrison. It employs textual, historical, and psychological methodologies to demonstrate the convergence of these approaches in what constitutes the American Gothic. The study's primary finding is that all three writers used the Gothic mode for different purposes. Faulkner employed it to explore the Gothic nature of the “white psyche” and its struggle to come to terms with its past. On the other hand, Ellison used it to examine the inherently Gothic nature of the African-American experience and the struggle to be recognised in a society that denies one's existence. Morrison used it to give African-Americans a collective voice. The study also finds that all three writers used Gothic and non-realist writing techniques to parallel real-life Gothic events through the literary Gothic form. This created a “Gothic unreal” style for white writers, who portrayed how the “white psyche” creates psychological fears, alongside the “Gothic real” for African-American writers, where reality is shown to be just as true in reality as in the mind. These findings suggest that studying Gothic texts through a historical lens can provide fascinating insights into their inherent prejudices and traumas. This nuanced examination of the links between history and the Gothic mode highlights the importance of understanding how Gothic literature can serve as a vehicle for exploring complex social and cultural issues.

History

Qualification name

  • PhD

Supervisor

Lawson, Andrew ; Burroughs, Robert

Awarding Institution

Leeds Beckett University

Completion Date

2025-01-20

Qualification level

  • Doctoral

Language

  • eng

Publisher

Leeds Beckett University

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