Modern And Contemporary Appalachian Literature: Beyond The Southern Grotesque

This thesis explores definitions of the grotesque and examines different uses of the grotesque by Southern and Appalachian writers. The grotesque is an idea that is always in flux within the context of the piece of art that uses it. Its original meaning refers to architecture; however, German and French interpretations of the word added psychological meaning involving the provocation of fear and laughter. When analyzing Southern and Appalachian literature uses of the grotesque, however, I focus on Freud's explanations that include fears of the unfamiliar and familiar, meanings that involve recognition of what is "uncanny."