Gothic literature encompasses horror stories as well as darker supernatural forces. Such literature focuses on the destructive desires and irrational aspects of human nature. The term Gothic literature is derived from the unrestrained, majestic, grotesque or savage medieval architectural styles. Gothic literature is, therefore, associated with barbarism or savagery. “The Feather Pillow” by Horacio Quiroga is an example of gothic literature.
Vampirism
The blood -sucking spider-like creature in The Feather Pillow depicts elements of vampirism. The awful spider-like blood sucking creature, which is swollen with victim’s blood, depicts clear aspects of vampirism. Specifically, the creature inhabiting the feather pillow relies on blood for survival. It has become the parasite that lives off the girl’s blood. It feeds and lives at her expense. As time passes, the creature’s draining capacity, as well as thirst, increases to a level that is comparable to the classical Dracula case. As the appetite of the creature grows, Lucy’s condition worsens. The other aspect of vampirism in The Feather Pillow is the draining nature of Alicia and Jordan’s relationship. Jordan does not seem to care about his wife Alicia who is languishing under the weight of her husband’s indifference, and she later suffers the parasitism of the large blood-sucking creature.
The setting is an important factor and element in Gothic literature. In The Feather Pillow, the setting is portrayed as a place where death is rampant. The story suggests that the house is less of a house and more of a mausoleum. It is described as an enchanted place where life is frozen and time-suspended. The place also serves as a reflection of the couple’s situation which is characterized by emptiness and silence. It is a situation that reflects the sterile relationship between Jordan and Alicia.
The blood-sucking spider is the title I would give to this story because it centers on this scary patristic creature that is causing death and suffering of its victims. I firmly believe that the gothic nature of The Feather Pillow makes it unsuitable for children under the age of 13. While scary literature for children is a new phenomenon, the exposure to extreme paranormal and dark creatures is inappropriate for children. The content of The Feather Pillow is not child-friendly due to the theme of vampirism. The proponents of exposing children to gothic literature argue that they depict the reality that sometimes life can be horrific. The bloodsucking scenes in the story can have a negative psychological impact on children because they may disturb their young minds.
The Feather Pillow is suitable for adults because they can evaluate and decide for themselves what is appropriate or inappropriate. Besides, adults can handle the horror scenes in the gothic literature better than children. In this case, adults can appreciate the fictional nature of vampirism themes and also reflect on the dark themes such as death and horror. However, it is worth noting that scary aspects of gothic literature can also have negative influences on adults.
Gothic literature is characterized by inexplicable events. They encompass paranormal or supernatural features such as vampires or ghosts. The portrayal of horror and grotesque elements in The Feather Pillow makes it inappropriate for children under the age of thirteen. Features such as blood-sucking spider and the grotesque ash tree can have a scary effect on children. The parasitical creature has been used in the story to depict the theme of vampirism which is a key element of gothic literature.
Response to Classmate’s Post
I agree with your assertion that Gothic literature can be alarming. For example, some themes such as murder, suicide, and vampirism can be unsettling and scary for children under the age of thirteen. Furthermore, I think your should have indicated that gothic literatures focuses on some of the social ills or challenges confronting the society. For example, themes can be based on divorce, murder, suicide, incarceration, corruption, and religious crisis. Besides, you should have underlined that the vampire is one of the nineteenth Gothic wanderer figures who have remained relevant and most popular in the twenty-first-century. Irrespective of their evil nature, they have remained extremely popular and glamorous. Overall, your paper is properly written with few grammatical errors. I think you should include more real life example to make the paper more interesting.
