ABSTRACT
Summary of the chapter
Introduction. Definition of Gothic horror and its relationship to the broader genre of horror. Taking a brief look at Gothic style and tone in art, architecture and fashion. A short exploration of whether it’s right for children to read and write horror stories.
Features and conventions of Gothic horror.
Tropes in Gothic horror stories – themes, people, places and objects that extend the section above.
Introducing ‘urban folktales’ and using ‘The Phantom Hitchhiker’ as a way of approaching Gothic fiction. This section also defines ‘flash fiction’.
Character types in Gothic fiction. This section broadens out from considering just monsters to look at the rich array of character tropes in the subgenre.
Stereotypes in Gothic fiction – for example, the helpless female in distress being rescued by the male hero – and how it’s OK for young writers to challenge and change these. A brief look at parody.
The evolution of the vampire as a trope.
How to make a monster.
Monsters as metaphors. A brief look at how vampires, werewolves and other creatures can represent aspects of the human psyche. Reflecting on this may lead to philosophical discussions on what it means to be human, how far we have free will (if at all) and what it means to live a moral existence. It also touches again on the perennial human theme of the conflict between good and evil.
Romanticism and the pathetic fallacy – a relationship with nature.
Further tips for writing Gothic fiction, including the ‘photograph method’ for structuring descriptive writing.
Story starters. Some ‘seed ideas’ to get children thinking about stories of their own.159
