Angela Carter uses material from fairy tales and myth as inspiration for her modern gothic short stories. Read a synopsis of the Snow White fairy tale - a simple one can be found here. Then re-read Carter's 'The Snow Child' and complete these questions in note form. In your answers, consider the views Atwood puts forward in her dialogue 'There Was Once' about the conventions of the fairy tale genre. Also consider how Carter has re-interpreted the original story to create something new.
Due next lesson. DB
one of the main features of gothism, especially in Angela Carters texts, is the indulgence of passion: sexual desires explored in it's most bizarre manner.
ReplyDeleteI agree Georgina. Gothic texts are often read as reactionary - providing 'counter narratives' or alternative ideas to dominant narratives in society. The indulgence of passions, and celebration of passionate characters in gothic texts is often read as a reaction against restrained or suppressed sexualities - think Freud or Goya's 'The sleep of reason produces monsters'.
ReplyDeleteWhat might Carter be reacting against in her 'bizarre' examination of sexuality and passion. Could she be using sexual material to highlight things about ideas about men/women?
Carter also explores the conflict between women and there roles; trying to sustain their position in submission- which is shown through the countess jealousy- attitudes to compete with the snow child. However with regards to the freud theory of "the sleep of reason produces monsters"- carter illustrates this through the count unleashing his supressed sexual desires i.e sleep of reason, which then manifests into his violent attack towards this ambigious porn- his production of monsters.
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