Southern Gothic Elements In Fried Green Tomatoes

Southern Gothic Lit, it is a sub-genre of the gothic style, meaning this type of literature is supported by supernatural activities or abnormal occasions to guide the storyline. This subgenre is unique to American literature. Southern Gothic literature is important due to the fact that not only does it give the viewer a sense of shock and suspense it also gives the reader a greater surprise when the plot is uncovered. Southern Gothic Literature also demonstrates grotesque features written in many novels. Applying Southern Gothic literature elements onto the movie “Fried Green Tomatoes” can be seen in multiple occasions. Sense of place is always present in Southern Gothic Literature. In the beginning of the film Evelyn Couch makes a stop in Whistle Stop suggesting the storyline was to take place in this small town. Evelyn hears a train passing by yet there is nothing there, just the sound the leaves make. Evelyn later meets Ninny Threadgoode,who is from Whistle Stop, at the hospital where Aunt Beastie was being kept, Ninny tells many stories to Evelyn about Idgie and Ruth setting the plot just right.. Some pieces of the Southern Gothic Literature aspect being applied would be things like, violence being used when Sipsey says, “Oh it don’t make no kind of sense. Big ol’ ox like

Imprisonment can be be demonstrated by Idgie when her brother Buddy is killed by a train. Idgie did not want to talk to anyone, in fact she kept to herself for many years, that was until Ruth, Buddy’s ex girlfriend, came back to town for the summer. Idgie was not the only example of imprisonment, Ruth was also being imprisoned, not mentally but physically by her husband Frank Bennett. Ruth was to do what he asked or she would get physically abused by him. When Idgie travels to Georgia to take Ruth back to Whistle Stop Bennett kicks Ruth off the stairs while she is still pregnant with his unborn