Gothic horror is a genre that explores fear through a psychological lens, often blurring the line between reality and the supernatural. It relies on dark settings, dreary atmospheres, and the physical manifestation of emotions like guilt, trauma, and regret. The genre originated with Horace Walpole’s 1764 novel The Castle of Otranto, whose haunted castle reflects the Gothic architecture from which the genre draws its name. Authors like Edgar Allan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker, and Stephen King himself went on to popularize and legitimize the genre.

Central to the Gothic horror genre is the exploration of the interconnectedness of the supernatural and the darkest human traits. Often, Gothic horror characters commit an evil act, then their guilt and trauma are represented through the physical manifestation of supernatural events. Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart (1843) is one of the most famous examples, as the unnamed narrator kills an old man with whom they used to live. After they bury the man beneath their floorboards, they become convinced that the man’s heart continues to beat, infiltrating their thoughts and forcing them to confess to the police to get it to stop. Similarly, King’s 1922 explores Wilf’s act of murder through Arlette’s haunting and her perceived possession of the rats. As Wilf battles the psychological impact of his actions, his trauma manifests in Arlette’s haunting. In both stories, as is typical of Gothic horror, it is unclear whether the narrators’ haunting is real or imagined, leaving readers with the discomfort of uncertainty while emphasizing the lasting impact of evil deeds.

Setting is another key component of Gothic horror, as isolated, ruinous, and dark settings are used to create a dreary, horrific atmosphere. Often, the most evil traits of humanity are reflected in these settings, which become the physical manifestation of evil and fear. For example, Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus creates a mood of danger through its isolated, decaying settings. Scientist Victor Frankenstein’s isolated laboratory reveals his amoral attempts at creating a life while reflecting his inner descent into obsession and madness. The space is littered with human remains, a clutter of scientific tools, and dark, chilling shadows. In 1922, King uses a similar technique through Wilf’s isolated farm in rural Nebraska. While the farm itself is not inherently dangerous, its dangerous attributes surface as Wilf becomes increasingly convinced that Arlette is haunting him. The lack of neighbors, exacerbated by Wilf’s feud with Shannon’s parents, causes Wilf to suffer alone and nearly die when bitten by a rat. The leaking roof and endless repairs reflect Wilf’s psychological struggle, as he fights for survival both physically and emotionally. These Gothic tropes emphasize the universality of destructive human attributes like greed, corruption, and the need for control that exist as much in early 20th-century rural America as they do in classic 19th-century Gothic fiction.