Examples of the Grotesque in Some Aspects of Southern Fiction
Another example can be found in Carson McCullers' stories. Her characters often have a sense of isolation and alienation that is presented in a grotesque light. The way they interact with others, or rather fail to interact in a normal way, is a characteristic of the grotesque in southern fiction. It reflects the individual's struggle against the social norms and expectations in the South.
In William Faulkner's writing, there are also grotesque aspects. For instance, the character of Benjy in 'The Sound and the Fury' is a grotesque figure. His mental disability and the way he experiences the world, which is so different from the norm, is a key part of the grotesque in Faulkner's southern - set story. It shows the breakdown of the Compson family and, by extension, the southern aristocracy.
Flannery O'Connor's works are full of grotesque elements. In 'A Good Man Is Hard to Find,' the grandmother's self - centered and somewhat deluded character is a form of the grotesque. She represents the old - fashioned and often narrow - minded southern values in a very exaggerated way.
