The Fall of the House of Usher and Behind a Mask Part 1

The Fall of the House of Usher

     Edgar Allan Poe has been one of my favorite authors since I read some of his work in highschool.  I always knew everything he wrote had a darker tone to it but I didn't know it was considered gothic until this class. Poe does a great job painting a vivid picture for the reader with his dark imagery used throughout.  Just the description of the House of Usher and Roderick Usher himself is enough to send eerie chills down your spine. Then when the story begins to unravel and you realize that Roderick buried his sister (twin) alive in the house, it really puts the iceing on the cake as far as a creepy feeling for the reader. His sister manages to break out of her tomb and appears covered in blood, this is when Roderick dies and the author hurries out of the House of Usher. All of these elements paint a freaky picture that somehow makes the reader want more.

Behind a Mask (Part 1)

     Now when I first began to read this book I was irritated because I thought it was going to be another romance novel like one of our previous readings.  This definitely wasn't the case, there are a number of twists throughout and foreshadowing that leaves the reader on the edge of their seat. This was one of the easiest books for me to read because the dialect used by the characters is similar to that of our own.  There is a lot of irony throughout the book because the reader knows that Jean is a imposter after chapter one but the characters have no idea.  This got a little frustrating because I just wanted to tell them but it also helped keep my attention throughout the read. I'm excited to finish the book and see what Jean wants out of the family and what her story is.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Young Goodman Brown

           The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is a gothic story that I have known since I was young.  Although after watching the movie when I was young, the book was definitely a let down.  I was expecting more involvement with the "Headless Horseman" throughout the novel but was let down to find out his involvement was limited to the last couple of pages. Also, in the end of the novel the protagonist dissappears and Brom Bones gets the woman Ichabod Crane (the protagonist) was chasing. This was dissappointing because I expected the protagonist to survive the novel and get the girl he was chasing. This might be because that is how the movie ended so I just expected that but I feel like almost all successful stories have a "happy ending."
            Young Goodman Brown was a very stange short story but it definitely helped trigger my imagination.  I thought the "trippy" nature of the novel was very intriguing and I enjoyed reading it as a whole.  At the end of the novel I was sure if he had fallen asleep and dreamed the whole thing or if it all really happened.  I enjoyed the short novels a lot better than the long drawn out ones, it was more straight and to the point than some of the previous novels we have read. 

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Conclusion

        After finishing Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde it is by far my favorite book we have read in this class so far.  It combined drama and suspense and for those who haven't heard of the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, a very big twist at the end.  It was a good change from the normal romanticism we commonly read about in the female gothic novels. 
       While reading the other novels it was more like a chore to read because I wasn't really interested in the topics, but in this one I wanted to keep reading because the plot was enticing to me.  I loved the psychological aspect of the novel and how somebody had a dark side which was unknown to the public.  I believe this is how many serial killers are today, on the outside they look like normal people and even in most cases act like it in public.  Then something clicks inside them and they become some blood thirsty killer that is totally polar from their normal personality.  No matter how much Dr. Jekyll tried to control his evil side, eventually it overcame him and led to the death of his good side, Dr. Jekyll.
       In all I really enjoyed this read and look forward to more novels that are like it.

The Mortal Immortal and Dr, Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

          Both of the readings this week were rather short in comparison to our past readings but definitely some of my favorite so far. The Mortal Immortal and Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde contained may elements of the traditional gothic novel but added a hint of science to distinguish themselves from our previous readings.
         The Mortal Immortal by Mary Shelley was the shortest of the two stories which made it a lot easier to read. The story as a whole had a dark undertone that was somewhat intriguing and helped keep my attention.  I enjoyed how the author played up the idea of romanticism and gave it a twist from normal Winzy drank two potions to help his love problems. One of these potions was to create perfect love between him and Bertha, the other was to give him immortality. Whether or not these potions actually helped is up for debate but as far as the narrator is concerned, he has been living for 323 years. In all the story by Mary Shelley was a much needed break from novels like Romance of the Forest which was very tedious to read.
         Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde is looking like it will turn out to be one of my favorite novels read in the class.  I am very interested in the human mind and body so the idea of transforming into a completely different person at night is very intriguing to me. It is very dark in nature and some people today suffer from diseases much like this which alter there personality completely at times. The novel is from the eyes of the Mr. Utterman, in which he tries to understand the twisted life between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It is set in London and has many gothic elements such as the architecture, darkness, and suspense that leaves the reader on the edge of their seat. I am very anxious to finish the book and see what is the root of evil between Dr. Jekyll and his alter ego Mr. Hyde.