Synthèse sur le gothique, lele, anglais, term L

Lele Ayça OZCAN TL2

The 5th child , Doris Lessing 1988

Gothic is characterized by Gothic architecture from the 12h to 15th    centuries  by  castles, darkness, death… which describes a style of European architecture which use pointed arches and vaults, narrow spires, stained glass windows, intricate patterns, and varied details  used  for churchs  to make a feel of lighting and also fear ( fear of god / death ? ) , In literature , Gothic fiction is the most of the time describe  by the  fear,  the supernatural, sometimes  combines fiction, horror and romanticism  and we can say that generally the characters are psychopath , maniacs , and in our case  , here  the main characters David and Harriet are very nondescript peoples , without interest , very straight different from others and their meeting was a case of love at first sight but also a case of serendipity during a office party made by a unknown and irresistible supernatural force that also push them be attracted  to each other and then buy a gloomy house also because of this strange force which manifests itself from their very first encounter at the party .

After a few years and desire of a great family their meeting will end up in disaster wit the birth of their   5th child called Ben,  which is the result of an “monster” mad child,  as a result of this obstinate and unnatural way of enlarge their family faster by the desire to go always go one step further, they were selfish because of there obsessions of having  many child as possible  without considering their life condition ( financial)

Other elements that characterize this type of fiction might include mystery here , Ben's difference from others child , his violence  , the supernatural of his acts and the “haunted” house which push David and Harriet to get child

Gothic is also characterized by  terror and vulnerability showed  by Harriet's feeling to her child Ben .

 All of these elements create an Gothic atmosphere characterized in the Gothic literature.

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