The key features of gothic literature.

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The key features of gothic literature

Gothic literature is written to induce fear. To make a story frightening, you have to have the unexplained, an element of the grotesque, strange noises or silence and an ominous series of events. A typical gothic setting could be a castle or an old abandoned house, as long as it is spooky. Gothic atmosphere is created by strange 'goings on' and the weather. For example a storm would set a good atmosphere for a gothic novel. Tension and suspense are also important elements of atmosphere. The characters would be strange in a typical gothic novel, possibly deformed or just very odd. The grotesque custodians in The Red Room are an example of this. These are all techniques used to put a chill down the spine and curdle the blood. The authors wrote these stories to thrill and scare the reader.

The title of The Red Room gives the images of blood and danger and romance or passion. As this is a gothic story you know it is blood and fear that is implied by the title. The title of The Signalman doesn't tell you much about the gothic elements