A Companion to American Gothic

In recent decades, the literary tradition known as “gothic” has moved from the shadows of cultural and literary studies. Many now recognize it as the record of a society's repressed narratives, its conscious fears--and its buried nightmares. In the United States, we now understand the gothic as a discourse to which many of the country’s most significant writers have contributed, and which is deeply embedded in its popular culture. A Companion to American Gothic  is a comprehensive collection of original essays that explore the dark side of the American dream. Contributions from a distinguished group of international scholars reveal the origins and evolution of America's gothic literature--from its roots in narratives of Indian captivity and slavery, through classic authors such as Poe and Hawthorne, and up to its present day manifestations in radio, film, television, graphic novel, and video games.