Essential Questions for this Unit:

1.  How are the Romantics' beliefs of optimism and individualism reflected in their writing?

 A: The romantics celebrated individualism, focusing more people's emotions and imagination rather than facts and logic. They recognised outcasts, and mainly set their stories on them. They encouraged optimism and thinking positive, although their stories usually ended with the opposite of a happy ending.
    2. What is Romanticism, Gothic Romanticism and Southern Gothic Romanticism? How are they similar how are they different?
A: Romanticism is the movement originating in the late 18th century that encouraged individualism and inspiration. Gothic Romanticism is a genre that combines the elements of horror and romanticism to give off the effect of a pleasing sort of terror. Southern Gothic Romanticism is a sub genre of Gothic Romanticism that takes place in the American South, including some common themes and acting unique to American literature.
   3.How is the Southern Gothic movement a response to literary movements that have preceded it as well as a manipulation of Romantic literary conventions?
A: The Southern Gothic movement was America's reaction to Romanticism. Romanticism was a revolt against the classics, and America responded to it by creating Southern Gothic fiction; which is unique to American literature, taking place in the American south. The Gothic genre is much more dark than those that came before it, and America made it it's own.
  4. How did the American culture prompt the dark sides of Romanticism (think Gothic and Southern Gothic)?
A: Romanticism was and entirely new and different genre, focusing on personal emotions and individualism rather than facts and logic. The American culture prompted the dark sides of Romanticism by creating Southern Gothic Romanticism, their way of making this genre unique to them and the American south.

  5. How do the writings of these time periods influence the writings of today?

A: Writings today are influenced by the writings of the Romantic era by using the ideas, themes, and techniques that were prevelent then, and using them to fit today's world to give off the same satisfying horror effect.