It seems as though everyone has agreed: Gothic literature is reserved for autumn, and as soon as December hits, it must be ushered back into its crypt to wait for next year.
Setting plays a big role in Gothic literature, with its crumbling estates, desolate landscapes full of desolate people, and life slipping away with the seasons.
“Fall just kind of has that… feeling of ‘we’re not quite at… the worst of the worst, but we’re getting there,’” said OH English teacher Adam Jensen. “And… the same is true for a lot of our characters in Gothic novels who are transitioning from this place of normalcy… to this place of discomfort and terror.”
The decline from the life and joy of summer, the mounting dread of winter, having to watch as beauty wilts away in front of you, and the inevitability of it all lend themselves to many major themes in Gothic literature.
“Gothic literature is a fantastic avenue to pursue scary ideas, scary concepts, and even feel a sense of fear yourself while still in a comfortable and safe environment,” said Andrew Takahashi, an OH substitute teacher.
People associate that fear with Halloween and fall, but fear doesn’t wait for autumn, and neither should Gothic reading lists.
“The season is one aspect, right, it’s one tool that the author can use… but anywhere that a character is isolated or put in a position… of discomfort and not, not really knowing who to trust… can all add to the Gothic feel,” Jensen said.
There’s nothing wrong with reading fall stories year-round, but it is nice to read something that matches the weather. Here’s a list of one classic gothic story for each month until next fall.
December: “The Turn of the Screw” by Henry James
Nothing screams “Holiday Party!” quite like telling scary stories set in summer. Set up as a story-within-a-story, “The Turn of the Screw” recounts a young governess’ confusion and horror as she watches the children she’s taking care of be influenced by evil spirits.
Goodreads Oswego Public Library Project Gutenberg ebook
Bonus: “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens
A little longer and less Gothic, but a classic nonetheless, “A Christmas Carol” follows Scrooge’s meetings with four ghosts. “You have the past coming to haunt the present, ultimately to teach a lesson,” Jensen said.
The text reflects on the true meaning of the Christmas spirit (not in a religious sense) and how to find real happiness.
Goodreads Oswego Public Library Project Gutenberg ebook
January: “Berenice” by Edgar Allan Poe
Typical winter-break cabin fever.
One of Poe’s less talked about stories, “Berenice” is set in the cold, lonely winter.
Egaeus and Berenice live a mostly normal, if isolated, life until mania and illness overtake them in an unsettling story of obsession and the corruption of love and beauty.
Goodreads Oswego Public Library* Project Gutenberg ebook*
[* Includes other stories, too.]
February: “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe
Follow your heart (to madness) for Valentine’s Day.
One of Poe’s most talked about stories and a prime example of the horror and confusion of Gothic literature, it follows an unnamed narrator’s obsession and the atrocities it makes them commit.
“[It] is really… entertaining, [and] shows a lot of interesting ideas behind Gothic literature,” Takahashi said.
Themes and motifs like obsession, death, burial, and guilt are major themes throughout Gothic literature, and all of them are highlighted in this story.
Goodreads Oswego Public Library* Project Gutenberg ebook*
[* Includes other stories, too.]
March: “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe
Revenge is best served when dressed up for a party.
This is the last Poe story, I promise.
Set amid the festivities of Italian carnival season leading up to Lent, the narrator seeks vengeance against his frenemy Fortunato in his catacombs.
Goodreads Oswego Public Library* Project Gutenberg ebook
[* Includes other stories, too.]
April/May: “We Have Always Lived in the Castle” by Shirley Jackson
Mentally prepare to not socialize all summer.
This book starts in late April, and since it’s longer it’s being spread over two months. The life of late spring and early summer are juxtaposed with the decay and ruin of the Blackwood family.
Merricat and her family grapple with dislike from the rest of the village, an unwanted cousin, and their own dark secrets.
Goodreads Oswego Public Library
June: “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
This is why you shouldn’t socialize all summer.
It’s a fast-paced emotional whirlwind of anxiety, relief, and absolute horror as the village chooses someone for… something.
“It takes place in a much more rural setting, so, if you’re… interested in… the horror aspect of Gothic horror, but not necessarily like, castles and… gargoyles,… [it’s] a really good one for that,” Takahashi said.
The setting is quickly developed and easily understood, and is set in what seems to be a normal American town, which makes it feel much closer-to-home than Gothicism’s typical old family estates.
Goodreads Oswego Public Library*
[* Includes other stories, too.]
July: “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Cabin fever again, but in summer.
Trigger warning: This story focuses on severe post-partum depression and a woman’s mental health being ignored by her family/doctor.
Set over the course of a summer in a picturesque estate, the narrator spends the whole story stuck in one room, largely isolated from nature and the rest of the family. It follows her obsession with the wallpaper, from disgust to intrigue to absolute fixation.
“We get this… picture of… time moving, but everything is slowly still decaying,” Jensen said.
Where the narrator should feel joy or excitement, she’s full of dread and obsession. It reflects the isolation and difficulty of mental health struggles, and serves as a reminder that outer beauty doesn’t negate inner turmoil.
Goodreads Project Gutenberg ebook
August: “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving
Some people wish they could scare their teachers this badly.
What better way to get into the back-to-school spirit than a story about a teacher getting scared out of his mind? This is technically set in fall, but it’s wrapping up our non-fall year.
Ichabod Crane is a teacher who hopes to marry a rich girl, but he has a feud with one of her other suitors, which ultimately leads to a spooky encounter.
This story, and more of Irving’s work, is often considered very important to the development of American Gothic literature as a subgenre. While Poe was from America, his stories focused mostly on Europe or the regions were very vague, but this story focuses heavily on New England scenery and folktales.
Goodreads Oswego Public Library* Project Gutenberg ebook
[* Includes other stories, too.]
Novels
A lot of Gothic novels take place over long periods of time, spanning years or lifetimes, and by extension spanning several seasons.
“Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley
More than a hit on Netflix, this tale is one that keeps reinventing itself and, like the protagonist, seems not to die. “Frankenstein” follows Victor through the creation of the monster and the consequences of playing god.
“[It is] one of the… greatest Gothic stories told, that challenges… our perception of humanity and… allows people to look at, like, what constitutes a real monster,” Jensen said.
“Frankenstein” has the unique quality of growing more relevant over time, applying just as well to AI and cloning as it did to galvanism when it was written.
Goodreads Oswego Public Library Project Gutenberg ebook
“Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte
Jane Eyre is a governess who faces mysteries and danger as the secrets of Mr. Rochester come back to haunt them both.
One of the more feminist classics, it shows Jane learning to trust herself and mature in spite of the challenges she faces growing up and throughout her life.
Goodreads Oswego Public Library Project Gutenberg ebook
“The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde
“[It’s] the story of this young man who was given a painting, and he basically makes the wish where he wants himself to stay young and forever perfect like the painting, while the painting itself can grow old and decrepit and ugly like he will one day,” Takahashi said.
A cautionary tale against obsession with youth and beauty, it explores how sometimes, the most outwardly beautiful things are the most inwardly corrupt.
Goodreads Oswego Public Library Project Gutenberg ebook
I'm Taylor Jo Ana, I'm a Junior at OH, and this is my first year on 42Fifty! I'm on the Speech Team, and I'm in the National English Honor Society and National Art Honor Society. You can contact me by emailing 42Fifty@sd308.org and putting my name in the subject line. We welcome comments on our articles and feedback on our publication!
