Can Gothic Fiction Be Dismissed as Merely Escapist and Sensational - Essay Example

The concepts felt ridiculous and were also dismissed by many as escapists and merely sensational but today they have become an essential part of the society- helping and developing us as human beings. Similar is the case with Gothic fiction. Although Sci-Fi may have rendered a physical presence in our society, gothic fiction portrays social evils, educates us on our inner or hidden personalities, makes us realize the dualities in our roles, and educates us on our double standards. All that in a way that entertains us as well (Ellis, 2001).

One read in the book Dracula tells us about this character or breed of beings that live on human blood and are immortal. But the values behind this fiction are much more than that. Dracula represents the social evil in us of never-ending greed, hunger, and power. His immortality may be referred to as the dynamic economy society that may have transformed society all into being slaves to the system (Watt, 2005). The same ideas came from the book “1984”. The idea of “big brother watching. Dracula may be thirsty for blood only but it does portray how we all are made to sacrifice our lives for the good of someone else.

Psychology, sociology, and philosophy- all are integral pieces in gothic literature. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hide in Stevenson’s book are the two characters that teach us about ourselves. How we have an inner self for greater glory and how we can accidentally or intentionally with limited knowledge do evil with the intentions of good. How science may have created more monsters for us in our lives than do more good. How we perceive ourselves to be Gods and seek immortality through our work. Stevenson’s work is not just about monsters and dark forces, but it explains the values of society. It explains how we as humans have our limitations as humans and what we have done to exceed those (Hogle, 2002).

Gothic literature makes us learn of our inner selves. It makes us realize the animal instincts that guide us when we need to eat, sleep and mate. Since the topics of discussion in gothic literature are many a times metaphysical and explore our subconscious, the characters depicted in gothic literature are supernatural as well (Ellis, 2001). All the monsters and flying horses are used to make us think of different realities in our lives and make changes accordingly. Read More