It’s true that a good man is hard to find. And it’s true that he’s even harder to find if you’re looking in the American South.
But why? Why is it so hard for a good man to find his way down your street, across your backyard, and into your front door? Well, there are many reasons.
First of all, there’s the architecture. Southern Gothic homes are known for their dark, foreboding exteriors; think of this house in [movie name]. It looks like a haunted mansion straight out of an old horror movie—but instead of being the site of a vampire attack or a werewolf rampage, it just houses a family with some serious issues.
And then there are those issues themselves! This family has got problems with morality and religion (and also each other), making them perfect candidates for a Southern Gothic tale. They’re flawed characters living in flawed times—which makes them relatable as well as sympathetic.
And did we mention how shocking and tragic the ending is? Because it really is both shocking and tragic—which is another thing that makes this story feel like it belongs on our list of Southern Gothic tales: its ending sets up expectations one way and then subverts them in exactly.
