Post the revision of your thesis paragraph as a comment under your original entry.
It should reflect an understanding of what the dominant characteristics of the southern gothic genre are: 1)Gloomy, mysterious sense of place 2)Haunting (by an Other) 3)It articulates larger cultural anxieties.
You should articulate your understanding of the southern gothic elements in the film, not simply say that it is southern gothic, but explain what’s gothic about it? AND how does thinking about it as southern gothic help you read the film?
Remember: Avoid the “reality trap.” This is neither a documentary, nor a mirror to the world. It’s fiction. The southern gothic is a genre of story telling.
Missouri, by the way, is not the deep south. Look at map: the southern part is southern, and the northern part of the state is midwestern.
In addition to revising your thesis paragraph, read the following three short pieces. Next week we’ll talk about poverty, the middle class and American attitudes about both.
1. How Do You Define Middle Class?