Using Gothic Characteristics to Describe the Theme of Knowledge in American Gargoyles, Johnny Mnemonic, Frankenstein, Good Country People and CyberpunkGothic literature has been interpreted and even criticized by many people as simply being scary stories. They believe that the author's sole purpose in using dark settings and grotesque characters is to horrify the reader. This is, however, rarely true in Gothic literature; Rather, an author will use these characteristics to describe a deeper purpose rather than simply to scare the reader. This is true for all genres of Gothic literature, including classical, southern, and cybernetic literature. A predominant theme throughout Gothic history is that of knowledge. Several authors have used Gothic tendencies to convey the idea that too much knowledge can be dangerous. They use these characteristics to warn the reader that knowledge is not always good. Classic Gothic literature, developed in the late 18th century, was most likely first conceived by Horace Walpole's The Castle of Otranto. Dark, dreary settings and frightening monsters often characterize the style of this category of literature. Mary Shelley, a classic Gothic writer, used these characteristics in her novel Frankenstein. In his novel Victor Frankenstein composes a creature who has all the potential of a child because she knows nothing. But this creature is far from resembling a child. The monster, created from different body parts, is grotesque, has yellow skin that barely covers its muscles, long black hair and is very tall. However, from his childhood, he began to learn, through experiences and especially by reading several books. This new knowledge he has acquired includes harmful situations ...... middle of paper ...... to warn or horrify the reader about a deeper theme. The terror the reader feels when reading the story mimics the terror another character feels when faced with this hidden theme. Authors often use these trends to present their ideas about current social conditions in order to warn the reader. Works CitedBloom, Harold. Flannery O'Connor. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. Di Renzo, Anthony. American Gargoyles. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 1993. Gibson, William. “Johnny Mnemonic.” April 5, 2000. Levine, George. The endurance of Frankenstein. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1979. O'Connor, Flannery. “Good country people.” April 5, 2000. Shelly, Mary. Frankenstein. New York: Dover Publications, Inc, 1994. The Cyberpunk Project. Christian Kirtchev. April 3, 2000. April 10. 2000 .