Southern Gothic Fiction
How I stumbled into a sub-genre
The Secret Sense of Wildflower was my breakthrough book and set me on the road to writing Southern Fiction. I had a very difficult relationship with my mother when I was growing up in the 1950s and 1960s. She was critical and controlling, as well as fearful and anxious. Later in life, I wondered what had happened to her that she became so wounded. So I created a fictional mountain holler in the Tennessee Cumberland Mountains called Katy’s Ridge ( in real life, Eagle Furnace, outside of Rockwood, TN) where my parents grew up.
I imagined a story that might explain how Wildflower came to possess all the psychological traits that made her who she was. Wildflower was the best version of my mother. And her daughter, Lily, was a best version of me. Susan in Hebrew means, Lily.
The books were, in my mind, a healing journey between a mother and a daughter and then finally a granddaughter. It was my way of healing and recreating the harrowing past of my mother, whose father died when she was very young leaving her unprotected from the Johnny Monroe’s of this world. Book 2 is Lily’s Song and book 3 of the trilogy is Daisy’s Fortune.
If you have already read this series, now is the time to reread it, knowing more of why it came into being.
This book was the beginning of a southern fiction journey that I continue to write today. Southern fiction follows in the tradition of Harper Lee, Flannery O’Connors, William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, and Carson McCullers, to name a few. A book like The Secret Sense of Wildflower is also called Gothic Southern literature. Here is a little more about the sub genre of southern fiction.
Southern Gothic literature is a unique genre that combines the dark, macabre elements of Gothic fiction with the specific cultural landscape and history of the American South. It explores themes of decay, violence, racism, and social alienation, often using grotesque characters and settings to critique the region's societal structures and traditions.
Key Characteristics of Southern Gothic:
Gothic Elements:
Like traditional Gothic literature, Southern Gothic employs elements of horror, the supernatural, decay, and the grotesque to create a sense of unease and dread.
Southern Setting:
The stories are firmly rooted in the American South, often featuring decaying plantation homes, small towns, and rural landscapes.
Social Critique:
Southern Gothic literature frequently critiques the South's history, social hierarchies, and cultural norms, including its legacy of slavery and racial inequality.
Grotesque Characters:
Characters are often flawed, eccentric, and morally ambiguous, reflecting the complexities and contradictions of Southern society.
Supernatural and the Unexplained:
While not always central, supernatural or unexplained elements can be present, adding to the atmosphere of unease and highlighting the psychological and emotional depths of the characters.
Themes of Decay and Decline:
The genre often explores themes of decline, both physical (in decaying buildings and landscapes) and social (in the breakdown of traditional Southern values).
Violence and Trauma:
Southern Gothic literature often depicts violence, both physical and psychological, and explores the lasting impact of trauma on individuals and communities.
Social Constraints:
The genre examines the restrictive social codes of the South, particularly those placed on women, and how individuals react to or rebel against these constraints.
Notable Authors and Works:
Known for works like Absalom, Absalom!, As I Lay Dying, and A Rose for Emily, which explore themes of family secrets, racial tensions, and the decay of the Southern aristocracy.
Her short stories, such as "A Good Man is Hard to Find," often feature grotesque characters and disturbing events that expose the moral failings of the South.
Known for novels like The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, which explore themes of isolation, loneliness, and social alienation in the South.
His novella Other Voices, Other Rooms is a classic example of Southern Gothic, exploring themes of identity, sexuality, and social displacement.
His plays, such as A Streetcar Named Desire, often depict flawed characters struggling with the changing social landscape of the South and the clash between the old and the new.
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More From Susan Gabriel
Whether you enjoy the convenience of e-books or the smell of a paperback, there’s nothing like curling up with a book to escape everyday life.
Audiobooks are great for listening to when commuting, exercising, walking, or when you are just in the mood to listen to a story (nothing beats it!). Most of Susan’s books are narrated by the amazing actor Holly Adams.
Love this genre as well.